Cannot Save You Now
by tigrelilje
Summary: With death comes a chance for revenge for Harry. Too many dark secrets from his life make themselves known. Will everyone who hurt him be punished, or will some be able to redeem themselves? Dark!Vampire!Slytherin!Harry. HP/DM slash eventually. HP/others at first.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I do not own these characters (except the vampires). J.K. Rowling is the brilliant mind behind Harry Potter.

**Warnings: **Overall for this story, there will be child abuse (just in the first chapter and not detailed), naughty language, male/male relationships and male/female relationships (the _intimate _details of which may end up being posted on a different site, if I end up writing them), and violence. Can't think of anything else but I will make sure there are updates if things change. For this chapter, only the abuse but not very detailed.

**Prologue**

Harry fought against the blackness closing in on his vision as he bit his lip against the tears and sobbing that wanted to escape him as every inch of his body burned with pain. His legs had long since given out on him. They may have even been broken, he couldn't tell anymore. Everything just hurt.

But he wouldn't give his uncle the satisfaction of watching him break. He would keep his silence. Even if it killed him.

He watched his uncle's foot swing towards him in a detached manner. He felt the pain but he could also tell that his mind was shutting down, or going into shock. He wasn't sure. He couldn't even think.

All he knew at this moment was that his hatred was growing more and more with every passing second, or maybe it was hours. _So much pain._ For the first time, he felt his buried hatred leaking into every fiber of his being. Oh, if only he could act on it, for once he actually wanted to. He couldn't imagine even hating Voldemort as much as he hated his uncle right now.

Harry felt hysterical laughter bubbling up his throat along with the screams of agony that he was holding back with every blow to his broken body. Some rational part of his mind that was slowly fading to nonexistence thought that maybe he was beginning to lose his mind with all the pain and hate he was feeling and the laughter was coming as a means to protect himself. Or maybe he was just plain going insane.

A particularly hard kick to his sternum brought a burst of agony unlike anything to yet occur. His vision did go completely black now, and as he began to slip into unconsciousness that he was almost positive he would never wake from, his last thought was of complete hatred and anger and bitterness to the world at large (and especially his _family_) for the injustice that described his life.

* * *

When Harry awoke, which was surprising in itself, he did not recognize his surroundings at all. Almost immediately, he also realized that he could see perfectly, even though he was pretty sure only the final rays of a sunset were filtering into the room and he wasn't wearing his glasses.

He sat up in the bed he was in only to wonder how he was even able to and why he wasn't crippled with pain. He looked down at his naked chest, while absently wondering where his shirt was, and noticed that the skin was flawless, minus the old scars that littered his body from his childhood. Where were the fresh wounds, bruises, broken bones? He suddenly became distracted by his hands, as he noticed that they did not look like his own. He fleetingly wondered if he was possessing someone else's body as Voldemort had done to him not so long ago. Maybe that could explain why he felt like he was experiencing someone else emotions from a distance instead of panicking as he thought he probably should be. Instead, he felt cold and emotionless. Although also definitely confused and disoriented, with a touch of fear and worry, but they felt so distant as to not be his own emotions.

He tried to pull himself together again as he noticed his hands in front of him once again. He couldn't seem to focus on anything for more than a few seconds and was having trouble holding onto one thought. He almost wondered if his brain had gone into shock. _Focus, Harry!_ He studied his hands and immediately became enthralled with studying them. It was easier than sorting through everything else flitting through his mind like lightning. His hands were pale and – dare he say – elegant. The fingers were long and graceful, but with a strength behind them. The word deceptive came to mind as he studied their appearance. _Why am I thinking about this?_

He finally glanced up with the intention of studying his surroundings when he noticed someone watching him from just inside the door of his room. The man was leaning against the wall and watching him with amusement.

Harry's first instinct was to flee or fight, but a new instinct questioned why he would do that. As a result of his conflicting instincts, he instead ended up just staring at the man with a blank expression and not so much as twitching a muscle. _Very smart, Harry. Where is that survival instinct?!_ He mentally berated himself while acknowledging that it was mostly out of habit as he still felt cold and emotionless.

"I see you have finally awoken," the stranger, who also for some reason seemed like a long time friend, stated. "How are you feeling?"

"Cold and empty," Harry responded without thought. He hesitated a moment before adding, "I feel much better physically than I think I should, however, considering my last memory."

Harry frowned as his last memory of being beaten by his uncle came rushing back to him with vivid clarity and for the first time since he woke up he felt an emotion that actually felt like it was coming from him. Rage and hatred. Maybe even betrayal. It was hard to tell, he only knew that he was going to lose control of his temper in a moment if something-

"Stop," the stranger commanded in a calm voice, and immediately Harry's rage and anger subsided. It was still there, but the emotionless cold feeling was blanketing it now. Harry lifted an eyebrow at his companion in question, somehow knowing the man would understand what Harry needed to know.

"We have much to discuss, Harry," the man said, and Harry finally realized that he had a rather thick French accent. Harry was baffled that he had not noticed it earlier. His expression must have shown on his face because a moment later the handsome (_Did I really just think that?_) man continued with, "I know you must be confused and feel like a stranger in your own skin at the moment, but I promise that that will pass in a few hours and you will no longer be so disoriented."

"Who are you?" Harry asked before he could think better of it.

"My name is Tristan Renard. We have never met, but I bet you feel as though you already know me," Tristan stated, though there was a hint of a question mixed into his tone. Harry nodded his head in acknowledgement. Tristan smiled briefly before finishing his introduction with, "I found you when you were moments from death, Harry. I saved you the only way I could." He paused for a moment before finishing with, "I am a vampire, Harry Potter, and now so are you."

**A/N:** So I'm debating skipping most of Harry's time learning about being a vampire and going straight to more of the story. This isn't to say that I will be ignoring that time period, I will be throwing in details/flashbacks/knowledge as they come into the rest of the story. Let me know if this is acceptable... I'm feeling a bit restless and impatient. Hope this was okay! I would love helpful feedback. This is my first time attempting fanfiction and I haven't written a story in years.


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any Harry Potter characters. I just own the vampires.

**Warnings: **Very mild slash moments, mild language (once, I think).

**A/N:** I think that I forgot to mention in the last chapter that this story starts after OotP and before HBP (obviously). So it will be like Harry's 6th year. This means Sirius is dead (sorry Sirius lovers).

And thank you for those who reviewed/favorited/followed the last chapter! That was embarrassingly exciting for me to receive any praise. I hope I don't let you all down! And now onto the first real chapter! Time to learn about vampires! (At least a bit.)

**Chapter 1**

Harry gazed at his reflection in the mirror as he finished getting ready for the ball his Father was hosting. He lightly brushed his fingers over his scar-free forehead as he rearranged some wayward strands of his hair. After three weeks, it still took him by surprise to see his reflection sans lightning bolt scar. It wasn't even the most significant difference to occur in his appearance since his death, but considering all the trouble the blasted scar has caused in his life, it was the most important one to Harry.

Harry Potter. That had been his name in life, but in death he was known as Henry Renard. With the complete reconstruction of his appearance after death and the new name, there was nothing left to connect him to one Harry Potter. And he found he was quite pleased with this. Though, he did let those closest to him use the nickname Harry instead of Henry. Afterall, Harry had been his name his whole life thus far and he found that he still identified with it, at least as long as his humanity was still hovering in his mind. Tristan claimed it would be for the best in the long run; it was good to remember one's beginning.

He went back to studying himself in the mirror for a moment. Where before, Harry had been a slight 5'6" teen, he was now a 6'1" young man with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His hair had previously been a black rat's nest but now it was more of a silky black waterfall that fell to his shoulders. It was still a bit messy, but now it looked like he meant it to be that way and not as if he didn't know what a comb was. It was just long enough that he could tie it back at the nape of his neck if he so desired. He was also happy that he had kept his bright green eyes. Now they almost glowed in an ethereal manner, the only window from the outside to the vast power now contained within him. Although, they did bleed into a dark red whenever he let his vampire out to play in full. Another unfortunate resemblance between himself and Voldemort, as if there weren't enough already.

He had kept a slight tan to his skin even in death. Even though he still had all his scars from childhood, they were greatly reduced in appearance. It was almost like having flawless skin. He wondered, again, why his lightning bolt scar had disappeared when none of the other scars from his past had. Eventually, he would actually remember to question his Father about that. His face was very different overall now, though. He had the high cheekbones that so many of the purebloods seemed to possess and a straight nose. He no longer had his round baby fat cheeks that screamed innocence and his lips had become rather sensual. Between his black eyebrows, high cheekbones and vivid green eyes, he actually looked rather dangerous. The change appealed to the predator that now resided within him.

His brand new appearance had caused Tristan some confusion at first when he and Harry had both noticed the change. Eventually Tristan figured out the answer and Harry still wasn't quite sure what his emotions on the subject were, dulled as they were now-a-days.

In the end, someone had been keeping secrets about his human life and as usual, he was the last to know.

Tristan explained that he had felt the release of Harry's magic as he lost consciousness. It had been his magic's last attempt to save him from his murderous uncle. His uncle, aunt, and cousin had all been knocked out in the resulting pulse of raw magic and Tristan had been instantly drawn to the sheer power of said magic. Along with many of the other vampires he kept company with. As a result, his human relatives were now dead, having provided a tasty snack for the vampires, and Harry was faced with another mystery of his cursed life.

When his magic had lashed out, the blood glamour that had been affecting his appearance (that Harry had never even known about!) had been severely damaged. With his death, they had been utterly destroyed when there was no life for them to bind to. And so, Harry had learned the truth; never had he truly been one Harry Potter, but a Harry _Somebody_.

He had a fairly good idea of who his father actually was but, at the moment, he didn't quite feel like facing that truth. The betrayal he felt with this revelation needed to stay buried for a while longer before he could face it and deal with it accordingly.

It hardly mattered anymore in the grand scheme of things. Tristan was his Father, his Sire, now. He had no need of his human father.

Another infuriating detail that had come to light with his death was the previous state of his magic. He had never found himself to be particularly powerful and constantly wondered why he was expected to defeat an all-powerful Dark Lord with decades of experience over him. It made no sense. As a vampire, however, Harry noticed that his magic was exponentially more potent than it had been in his life. He had wondered if becoming a vampire strengthened one's magic. Tristan had sadly informed him that his magic would only have grown if it had previously been blocked in some way.

Which led to the conclusion that someone had blocked a significant portion of his magic intentionally. To what end, Harry could only guess at this point but knew that it was nothing good. Someone was going to pay dearly.

A soft knock on his bedroom door startled Harry's increasingly furious thoughts.

"Come in," he called in a soft voice. A moment later, Blaise Zabini slipped into his room and gently closed the door behind him before turning around to offer Harry a smile.

It had been quite a shock the first time Harry had come across the attractive boy in his Sire's manor. Many vampires lived at his Father's manor and apparently Blaise's father had become one of these vampires sometime after Blaise had been conceived. As a result, Blaise spent a good deal of time with his father and the other vampires within the manor. He knew a great deal about the vampiric race and kept his familial connections a secret from everyone he knew, except his mother. Harry knew he was no longer recognizable as a Potter and had introduced himself without fear of discovery.

Over time, however, Harry came to trust Blaise and see him as a very close friend. He had to wonder that he found it so much easier to be close friends with a Slytherin than he ever did with his Gryffindor friends. He was reminded that the Sorting Hat had wanted to put him in Slytherin and he was forced to admit that he was been a naïve fool as a human. So many manipulations and he had never caught on. It made him rage on the inside.

Recently, Harry had decided to confide in his new friend about who he used to be only a few short weeks ago. At first, Blaise had understandably been shocked speechless, but he had recovered quickly and accepted Harry while promising to keep his secret. Harry knew he could trust him. One of a vampire's powers: mild empathy. Of course Harry had to be abnormal and develop full blown empathy, but that was another issue altogether.

"Were you planning on hiding up here until the party was over?" Blaise questioned with amusement. He knew Harry was reluctant to be the center of attention, something that had not changed when he died. Though the reasons for this desire had changed. Before, he had been shy and embarrassed when people focused on him. Now, it was because he was having trouble overriding his new instincts that insisted that he needed to stay hidden to hunt his human prey and not draw attention to himself. He was slowly winning that battle against himself and he was happy that he was confident enough that crowds of people did not intimidate him. That didn't mean he was in the mood to interact with them, though.

"You know I would not do such a thing, mon ami," Harry replied with a light smile. "I was merely lost in thoughts of the past." His expression turned to slight annoyance with this statement.

"You know I will help you in this, Harry," Blaise reassured with a now sober expression. "What was done to you was not right. You deserve your revenge." He paused before trying to lighten the mood, "I'm glad you have finally let the Slytherin out to play."

"Yes, it was about time, wasn't it?" Harry smiled, and it was slightly malicious. Blaise stepped the last few feet between them and brushed a kiss across Harry's lips. Before he could pull away completely, Harry wrapped a hand around the back of Blaise's head to give him a real kiss that quickly deepened into a more heated embrace.

It had been quite a shock to Harry just how sexual vampires were, including himself. He had never been particularly concerned with such trivial interactions but now it was his instinct. Vampires were very casual in their sexual interactions with others, unless a vampire found their mate and decided to settle down with them. Harry had questioned Tristan about why a vampire would even have a mate if they were not able to reproduce. Tristan had merely shrugged and provided some flippant response about how he had not created the vampire race and therefore could not explain any of their defective qualities.

Luckily for Harry, Blaise had spent so much time around vampires throughout his life that he almost acted like one himself. He understood Harry's new instincts and also that he and Harry were just friends, with some benefits.

As Harry began to maneuver Blaise backwards towards his bed, the attractive human gently pushed him away.

"I will not suffer your Father's displeasure if you are late because you could not control yourself," Blaise explained with a seductive smile. Harry merely growled at him before mentally pulling himself together.

"Fine," Harry held his arm out to Blaise before adding, "let's go join the party shall we?"

* * *

After much thought, Harry had decided that the best way to carry out his revenge against all those who had wronged him in his life was to return to Hogwarts as a transfer student. He also knew that there were a great many betrayals that he had yet to uncover, which was another reason to return to the scene of his former life. He had a lot of digging to do.

This ball his Father was throwing was meant to be a farewell party for him, but really Harry suspected that Tristan was in a mood to celebrate for the hell of it and was only using his departure as an excuse. When one lived for eternity, life could become dull sometimes.

And for someone like Tristan Renard, who was well over 1000 years of age and the current undisputed leader of the vampire race, Harry was sure life could become dull quite easily when you've probably seen just about everything. But at least Tristan had him now for an heir. His Father had never given much thought to creating an heir, but when he had felt the amount of power within Harry, he knew it was an opportunity he could not pass up. And Harry was thankful that he was given another chance at a life and a chance to get revenge.

So Harry entered the grand ballroom where at least five hundred vampires and about half as many humans were conversing, dancing, and socializing. Unlike popular belief, most vampires were completely in control of their bloodlust and found it easy to interact with humans. The ones who didn't were the ones that had completely forsaken every scrap of their humanity. Another reason Tristan thought calling Harry by his given name was a good idea.

Harry bid Blaise goodbye and strolled over to where his Father was holding court with a few of his more trusted vampires. Tristan saw him coming and held out his arm with a welcoming smile. Harry stepped into his embrace easily and brushed a respectful kiss to his Father's lips before murmuring a greeting. Once again, the sexual nature of vampires extended to the interactions of family. He called Tristan his Father, but really he was his Sire. They were "family", but that was really a loose term to describe their relationship. Harry respected Tristan and obeyed him absolutely as if he were Harry's master, though he was allowed to question him and add his own opinion. They loved each other as friends would and were unwaveringly loyal to each other. Though Harry was more loyal, as would be proper as the subordinate member of their "family". In any case, it was not wrong or incestuous in the vampire realm to be sexual within one's bloodline, and was actually expected. It had caught Harry by surprise at first but he reasoned that Tristan and himself were not actually biologically related in any way.

If Harry ever found his mate and accepted them (something Harry was currently hoping would not happen) then his mate would be the only individual that he would interact with on any sexual level.

Shaking himself out of his wandering thoughts, Harry tuned into his Father's conversation with friends.

"… the nerve of them. Have you been contacted by any more of those infernal wizards, my Lord?" Damien Covu questioned Tristan. Damien had been around for centuries, and loathed wizards and any other human as inferior beings. (Harry wondered if this was because Damien had been a Muggle before his change and therefore only had the basic vampire abilities without magic. Seemed like a case of jealousy.) He flicked a contemptuous glance in Harry's direction as he asked this. Harry may be Tristan's heir, but he was newly turned and would have to prove to many of the older vampires that he could be just an ruthless and cold-hearted as the worst of them. He looked forward to such a day, if truth be told. For now, he plastered a bland smile on his face as he listened.

"Not recently, no," his Father answered, with slight amusement as his witnessed the interaction. Tristan was also looking forward to watching his Son instill some fear into the other vampires, even if some were his friends. "I have not heard from any since that last messenger from the… Order, I believe." Harry's ears perked up at the sure reference to the Order of the Phoenix. "They seem to be under the delusion that we actually care about the restrictions that their foolish Ministries place upon our people. As if we follow them in the first place. We have no place in their silly war and I will continue to deny any wizarding messengers that arrive to plead their side."

"How arrogant of them to think that we are inferior!" Damien sneered in disgust. Harry fought the urge to roll his eyes at the insufferable man. He wasn't quite sure why his Father even spoke to him, and he noticed that the other vampires in the circle also seemed to be holding back similar reactions.

"Really, Damien," interjected a fair haired vampire named Zeke, "their arrogance should be taken as a satisfying sign that we have thoroughly hidden our true nature from them for so long that they would have no idea what to expect if we were ever to try to challenge them. Stealth and deceit are our weapons of choice, _friend_. I would not complain that we have been so successful," he finished with a slightly condescending tone.

Damien looked as though he wanted to fight but Tristan interjected with, "Enough! It is time to enjoy the party and attempt to relax for a bit," he gave Damien a pointed look. The others all bowed their heads in respect before breaking apart.

"Father?" Harry questioned. When he had Tristan's attention, he asked, "Have any wizards come from the Dark Lord Voldemort yet?"

"No," Tristan answered with the shake of his head. "Why do you ask?"

Harry was struck with a potential idea to instill some fear into the monster that had made his life so awful. "I would like to personally respond to them if they do call. I think that Voldemort is enough of an arrogant bastard that he will simply send a message and expect us to come to him for a meeting. If this is the case, may I go alone?"

"Of course, Son," Tristan replied with a mischievous smirk when he saw the dark thoughts floating around in Harry's head. He wasn't worried about his Son's safety. He knew Harry was far more powerful than any of the wizards he had seen in recent years. "I think it would do him good to learn his place, and who better to teach it to him other than yourself?" Harry laughed with his Father and went to enjoy the rest of his party. After all, he only had a week left before his inevitable return to Hogwarts, and the subsequent and slow destruction of all those who had made his life a living hell.

**A/N:** So a warning to all, I am the one writing, proof reading, and correcting all of this. If something doesn't make sense, let me know. Of course it makes sense to me, since I'm writing it, but that doesn't mean you all understand the way my brain works. If I didn't explain something very well, tell me so I can make it better. I don't want any confusion. Also, I have not yet described all there is to know about vampires yet, some traits will become known as they become important to the story (such as the whole vague mate thing I threw into this chapter). Hmm… I hope this chapter was alright. Next week may be the next time I am able to post, though I will try not to make that the case.


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Oh J.K. Rowling, thank you for imagining the wonderful world of Harry Potter. But these vampires are mine.

**Warnings:** Vampires acting all human-like (such a shame), I don't even think I cursed in this chapter… Apparently my writing style is far more proper than what comes out of my mouth when I speak in person :-/

**A/N:** FYI, I went back to the last chapter and added a sentence or two regarding the absence of Harry's lightning bolt scar at the beginning of the chapter… Semi-important for something I will probably go into more detail with next chapter.

So I am currently spitting out chapters as fast as they come into my mind. I seem to be in a writing mood so I have to take advantage of this. Also, I hate it when people post one chapter and then wait months to post another… so I want to instill faith in all of you that I will not forget this story for long periods of time!

Some of the ideas in this story are not originally mine (such as the reason for Harry's distrust of the Weasleys) but I've read about them in so many different stories that I can hardly ask every author for permission to use such brilliant ideas. Instead, I would like to provide a shoutout to all the authors who may have used some of these ideas before me and congratulate you on a job well done and thank you for the wonderful inspiration. Though I will try my best to add new spice ;)

Now, onward to Gringotts, to reveal some mysteries and then… meetings of old "friends" and new… allies? That second part will probably be next chapter. Don't fret, I may also get that up tonight. And if not tonight, then tomorrow for sure.

**Chapter 2**

Harry stepped out of the dingy Leaky Cauldron with his Father, Blaise, and Blaise's mother, Anastasia Zabini. The bright colors and noises of Diagon Alley assaulted Harry and brought a moment of nostalgia. He shook it off quickly before turning to Tristan.

"Father, we should go to Gringotts first and see whether I still have any money to my name," Harry suggested. Blaise and his mother nodded their heads in agreement.

"Alright," Tristan agreed easily. "It has been a long time since I set foot in a Wizarding bank," he added wistfully.

The group set off down Diagon Alley towards the white marble monstrosity that was Gringotts bank. Harry had to wonder why the bank was so tall if everything of import was buried deep underground. Glancing to the side, Harry noticed the Magical Menagerie, and another piece of his revenge puzzle clicked into place. This thought was immediately was followed by thoughts of Hedwig. He almost stopped in the middle of the road as he thought of his owl for the first time in almost a month.

"Father?" Tristan turned to Harry with a raised eyebrow. "Do you know what became of my snowy owl Hedwig?" Harry inquired.

"I believe there may be a recently arrived snowy owl in our owlery back home. I think I recall one of the maids complaining about some feathery white beast putting all the other birds in their place or some such," Tristan replied. Harry smiled; that sounded like his Hedwig. He would have to go visit the owlery to see her and apologize profusely for his negligence. And find a way to glamour her to a different color if he were to continue using her as his owl.

They arrived at Gringotts and went to the first goblin that was available. Harry thought that it might actually have been the goblin that showed him to his vaults in first year, Griphook. He had to wonder how that tidbit of information had stayed with him all these years.

"Griphook?" Harry asked, a bit hesitantly, but to a non-vampire it would have seemed perfectly confident. The goblin looked up in surprise before his expression turned to one of suspicion. As though he recognized Harry but couldn't quite believe the conclusions that he was drawing.

"May I help you, sir?" Griphook asked. Apparently he had decided to play it safe and neutral.

"Yes, I would like to meet with someone, in private, about my vaults," Harry responded. This was not a conversation he wanted to be overheard by anyone. He wasn't sure if the Wizarding world had been informed of his death. He had been isolated in France with his Father; even Blaise and Anastasia had spent the summer with them. Perhaps the goblins would be able to fill them in once they were in private. Assuming he was granted a private audience.

Griphook eyed him for a moment before he seemed to find the answer he was looking for. He nodded his head before indicating that Harry should follow him. He looked at the others sharply when they started to follow but Harry reassured him that he wanted them present. Griphook nodded before leading them off of the main chamber and down a hallway before entering a simple room.

"At the risk of sounding presumptuous," Griphook began immediately as he settled behind the desk, "you are Mr. Potter, I presume?"

Harry smiled a full smile, partly to display his set of fangs and partly out of delight. He wondered how wizards thought these brilliant creatures were beneath them.

"Of course," Harry responded. "At the risk of sounding presumptuous in return," Harry started, "I assume you can gather the reason for my desire for a private audience and possibly even the questions I have," he paused before adding, "Is my death common knowledge or has it been hidden?"

"You have been reported missing and most believe that you are probably dead. Some know that you are," he said significantly.

"Well, that's something," Harry muttered. He had fully expected a large cover up of his death to keep morale in the Wizarding world. "Alright, so can I still access my vaults or does my death complicate things?"

"Not at all, Mr. Potter-," Griphook began.

"Please," Harry interrupted, "it is Mr. Renard now. Potter wasn't even my real human name, apparently," he added bitterly.

"Of course, Mr. Renard," Griphook corrected, while sending a surprised look to Tristan. Ah, so the goblins knew of the elusive vampiric leader. "And yes, as far as the goblins are concerned, you are still… alive, for lack of a better word. And actually, I believe we have some documents that are long overdue for you to view. These would have been shown to you when you entered Gringotts the first time but your magical guardian decided to wait until you came of age at 17."

"Wait, what magical guardian?" Harry questioned suspiciously, already having a good idea of who the goblin was speaking of and not happy with the idea.

Griphook paused for a moment before saying, "Albus Dumbledore, of course. He was the one to raise you, was he not?"

"No," Harry ground out, with increasing fury. Tristan gave his arm a subtle squeeze and he felt his rage subside to a manageable level. He would have to ask Tristan why rage and hatred seemed to be the only emotions that could break through the blanket that seemed to separate him from his other emotions. He took a deep breath before continuing, "No, he did not raise me. I was raised by my mother's muggle sister and her family. I was not even aware of the Wizarding world until I was eleven."

Griphook stared at him for a moment in what could only have been shock before saying in a hard voice, "Well then, it is definitely time for you to see these documents. And of course, as a vampire, you no longer have need of a magical guardian. Your Sire automatically takes that place if it is ever required. And as far as your current guardian is aware, you are dead unless you see fit to inform him otherwise."

He pulled a stack of papers out from one of the desk drawers and placed them on top. Harry had to assume that the desk was magically connected to the location where important documents were stored within Gringotts and that a goblin could summon the ones they needed at will.

"The first paper here," Griphook began, "is the Will of Mr. and Mrs. Potter. The second is the Will of Mr. Sirius Black. The third is a listing of the vaults that are now in your possession and the properties that you own. And lastly," he paused for a moment before finishing, "is a personal letter from your mother."

Harry took the documents when Griphook offered them to him. The first was his parents' Will. It was rather simple. He was the sole heir of all things Potter, including the title of Lord Potter. What did catch his eye was that if anything were to happen to his parents, he was to go into the care of Sirius Black, his godfather. If Sirius was not available, then either Remus Lupin or Severus Snape. While the first two options were not surprising in the least, the choice of Snape was and seemed to lend credence to his growing suspicion of the identity of his real father.

"Griphook," Harry asked, as calmly as he could, when he was done reading, "if the choices for my guardians were supposed to be Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, or Severus Snape, then how was Albus Dumbledore appointed as my magical guardian and why was I left to be raised by muggles?"

Griphook frowned fiercely for a moment before responding, "It would appear that some foul play was at hand after the death of your parents. I doubt I would be able to find the goblin that blatantly ignored the wishes of your parents in favor of those of Albus Dumbledore."

Harry sensed only the truth from Griphook, so he nodded before moving onto the Sirius' Will. It was in the past and he couldn't change it, but he would exact revenge if he ever discovered the identity of the goblin who had allowed the oversight. Sirius' Will was also a simple document, stating that Harry was the sole heir of all things Black, including the title Lord Black. Harry was momentarily amused that he seemed to be collecting titles. Though he was vaguely sad about Sirius' death, he was also aware that Sirius may have seen him more as a mini-James than as just Harry.

_And here, I know for a fact that James wasn't even my father,_ Harry thought, with a touch of bitterness. Once again, someone had been expecting Harry to be someone he wasn't. _Even my REAL father made that mistake,_ he thought viciously.

He glanced through the properties and vaults that belonged to him before picking up his mother's letter. He could study his holdings in more detail later. He chanced at Blaise, who gave him an encouraging nod, before he glanced at his Father. Tristan just returned a level look to him, providing Harry with his silent support. Turning back to the letter, Harry slowly eased his finger under the seal before quickly breaking it. He unfolded the old piece of parchment before beginning to read.

_My dearest Harry,_

_If you are reading this, then I am so sorry that I was not there for you while you were growing up. Had I been, I would have explained everything in this letter to you directly and there would have been no need for you to receive this._

_First, let me say that I loved you with every bit of my heart. Never had I been more proud of anything I had done in my life before I held you in my arms that very first time. No matter where you are in life right now, know that I still love you and always will. I will be proud no matter what choices you make._

_This next part will undoubtedly be a shock to you. James Potter, while my husband and best friend, is not your father or the man that I love. James knows this and loves you still. A man by the name of Severus Snape is your real father, but it is not be safe for any to know this information. James and I performed a blood glamour on you immediately and I can only assume that it is still in effect. The only ways for it to break are in your death or if Severus himself broke it. If you do not yet know your father and meet him, I ask that you be patient with him before writing him off. He has many bitter layers covering his heart and it may take time for you to reach the man underneath._

_You must be wondering why James would not be upset at the idea of be being with another man, but while we both loved each other as close friends, we each had our own true love that would not have been okay in the eyes of the Light, and so we reached an agreement that would serve us both. Had James' conceived his own child, they would have been named the Potter heir but at the moment, you are the only child and get the honor of being named the Potter heir. I have not yet been able to confide in your father that you are his and there's a good chance that I was not able to inform him before my death. If this is the case, then he may have seen you with the blood glamour to disguise you at James' and assumed that I was not faithful. You must understand, Severus was always a very insecure man and seemed to have trouble believing that I was only in love with him._

_James and I kept your father (and James' true lover) a secret because we began to distrust Albus Dumbledore. Shortly before you were born, we started to see another side to the man that did not sit well with us. I have always prided myself on having good instincts and I was not about to start ignoring them with your safety at hand. I am not sure if Albus has insinuated himself into your life yet, but please, my son, take my warning to heart and think twice before giving your trust to him._

_I love you my darling son, always and forever._

_Love,_

_Mum_

Harry stared at the letter for a moment before folding it back up. So, Severus really was his human father. He pushed the anger and betrayal he felt away to think about later. He understood Severus' dilemma but the treatment he had received from that man all these years, because Severus had presumed that he was really the spawn of James Potter…

A thought occurred to Harry and he quickly flipped back to the list of property that he owned. Yes, there it was. Potter Manor. And it was not located in Godric's Hollow. So what had his parents been doing hiding from Voldemort in what could be considered little more than a shack?! He wondered if Dumbledore was behind this manipulation. All the old pureblood manors had blood wards, which were impenetrable and far more reliable than a Fidelius Charm. Wards could not spill your secret but a Secret Keeper could. It was another thing he would have to investigate this upcoming year.

He scanned down the list of vaults that he had in more detail now and noticed that each vault had a list of transactions that had taken place in the last year. He noticed that monthly transactions were taking place in regards to the Potter vault that he was most definitely not responsible for.

"Griphook," he questioned, dangerously, "could you give me more details concerning the transactions taking place from the Potter vault?"

"Of course, Mr. Renald," Griphook replied before withdrawing another piece of parchment from the desk and studying it for a moment with furrowed eyebrows before handing it to Harry.

"It would seem that your magical guardian is withdrawing funds on a monthly basis and distributing some to the Weasley family vault and keeping the rest," Griphook stated with disapproval heavy in his voice.

Harry was furious. He wondered if the Weasley family knew they were receiving his money or if Dumbledore kept that to himself. He assumed the rest of the stolen money was being used to fund the Order, but perhaps Albus was just keeping it for himself. Either way, the man was guilty.

"That needs to be stopped immediately," Harry said forcefully. "Is there any way to recollect all the money back that he took from me?"

"Unfortunately, he was officially recorded as your magical guardian, so no. He was within his rights," Griphook seemed personally offended with the whole situation. Harry couldn't blame him. Goblins were known for being viciously precise when dealing with gold and the whole scenario screamed of foul play. "However, we can stop all access to this vault by anyone other than yourself immediately."

"Please do." Harry was provided with a paper to sign and the problem was taken care of.

"Thank you for all of your help, Griphook," Harry said as he stood up to leave.

"Not at all," the goblin replied. He glanced at the others before saying, "I am glad you seem to have found a better life, Mr. Renard. It was a pleasure doing business with you."

Harry gave the goblin a smile and a nod before he and the others left the room.

* * *

When Harry and his group reached the main entry hall of Gringotts, Harry spotted a flash of red out of the corner of his eye and quickly stopped the others and pushed them back to blend into the shadows.

"What's the matter?" Blaise hissed.

"The Weasleys are here," Harry replied, absolutely no emotion in his voice for once. "The opportunity has presented itself for me to discover what they know of the origins of the money that they receive."

Harry directed his gaze to his Father for a moment, which reflected the dark anger in his own, before he cocked his head to eavesdrop on the quiet conversation Molly Weasley was having with the goblin helping her. Harry thanked the supreme senses he had inherited with his transition into vampirism as he was able to clearly hear the conversation.

"What do you mean, there's no money in the vault? You must be mistaken, look again," Mrs. Weasley was demanding in a furious whisper.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but there is no mistake," the goblin replied in a bored tone. Harry had the distinct impression that the creature was enjoying Mrs. Weasley's mounting fury.

"There is always money in this vault," she exclaimed, though in a much quieter voice than Harry thought she was capable of. She quickly got herself back under control as she continued, "Whenever I have come in the past, a set amount of galleons was transferred from the vault of Harry Potter at the time of my arrival as long as I only came once a month. It has been over a month, there should be no problem!"

Well, that as good as answered Harry's question. The Weasley children (and Hermione, he noticed) were standing too far away to hear Molly's conversation, so Harry could only assume that they were not aware of the financial theft their parents were taking part in. At least part of his revenge toward the Weasley family had already begun when he cut off the funds from his vault. It was time to start plotting their complete destitution, however.

He had to wonder if there was anything else they were being paid for. He assumed that taking him in during the summer was one reason for the money. He wondered if they had been paid to befriend him. That was one thing that occurred to Harry after his change. Why had the Weasleys, a pureblood family, arrived at King's Cross Station the muggle way when he had first met them, conveniently without the knowledge of how to access the platform so they could show him? He was fairly certain no other self respecting pureblood would mingle with muggles. _And even the ones that don't respect their heritage, _he thought snidely.

This wasn't an answer he could find without direct questioning, so he let it go for now. But he had the feeling that his suspicion was correct. And that was only one more reason for him to let the Wizarding world tear themselves apart in their idiotic war.

**A/N: **Okay, are you supposed to capitalize Will? I have no idea. If anyone does know, please inform me so I can either be pleased with myself or go fix my error… As always, I hope I'm doing alright, constructive criticisms are welcome or even encouragement that I'm not making a total mess of this.


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter characters are not mine. Vampire things are… (do I need to state this every chapter? I feel like most people do but… seriously?)

**Warnings:** Bad language!, and vampires blending in with humans… Oh, and did I mention before that this story will be heavy in the Ron bashing? Because I honestly cannot stand him. Sorry Ron lovers… More bashing warnings as they come up…

{Speaking} = Parseltongue (Of course I had to make sure it was incorporated into this story!)

**Chapter 3**

Eventually the Weasley family and Hermione were escorted down to their actual vaults and Harry and his group were able to exit Gringotts.

"Where to first, Son?" questioned Tristan. Never before had he had an heir and never before had he been required to take a child school shopping. His vampire courts would laugh if they saw him now, playing the domestic human father.

"Well," Harry said slowly, "most importantly, I need to replace my wand. I cannot use my old one at school, Dumbledore would recognize it. But I think the core is still suited to me. It is the wood that I would like to see about replacing. Are there any wand shops in Knockturn Alley?" Harry turned to question Blaise.

"Yes," his friend replied, "I can bring you to it if you like. Why not just visit Ollivander's, though?"

"Ollivander created my current wand," Harry explained, "He would recognize it in an instant. It would take him no time at all to realize that I was once Harry Potter and that I am clearly not dead and buried."

"Ah, of course," said Blaise, looking suitably ashamed that he had missed the detail himself. However, he quickly wiped his face back into indifference and led the way to Knockturn Alley.

* * *

The place was tiny, dirty, and entirely unremarkable, just like every other shop in Knockturn that Harry had ever seen. There was a tiny window in the front with the word _Tebras'_ painted on the glass. A little bell rang in the back of the store when they entered so they waited for someone to appear to help them.

"May I help you?" inquired a middle aged man as he made his way to them from the back of the store. His hair was shoulder length and shot through with gray while his eyes regarded them suspiciously in contradiction to the polite tone of voice he had used to greet them. To Harry's mild surprise, his Father stepped forward to speak with the man.

"Yes," he began, with a slight smile. Harry wasn't positive, but he thought Tristan may have flashed his fangs a bit. At least, the shopkeeper paled slightly. Knockturn Alley was probably the only place they could get away with flaunting their real nature without raising an alarm. "My Son has a wand that he would like to see about adjusting. He was hoping to maybe keep the core but replace the wood."

"Of course, sir," the man replied, with only the barest of tremors in his voice. Harry had to give the man credit as he handed over his wand to be inspected. "A phoenix feather?" he questioned in surprise before his look became thoughtful, "Hmm… Let me see, I think I know just the wood to place this holly with," he said as he began walking to the back of the store, earlier nervousness forgotten as his professional interest took over. "This should not take long if you would like to wait otherwise you can come back later to pick it up."

"We will wait," Harry said. The man nodded before completely disappearing.

"Why keep the core and not just get a completely new wand?" Anastasia questioned after they were left alone.

"Well, considering that phoenixes represent rebirth, I believe that it will still be the most compatible wandcore for myself," Harry explained. "I am rather attached to my wand; I went through a lot with it and it never let me down like so many other things in my past. I'm almost positive the holly wood is the reason that it no longer feels quite right in my hand. We shall see if I was right when he is finished, however."

Less than twenty minutes had passed before the man came back to the front with a different wand.

"I replaced the holly with yew wood," he explained. "Yew is known for its extreme longevity, which seemed appropriate in this case. It also could be seen as a balance between life and death, because it produces edible fruit but the seeds are poisonous and in some folklore it symbolizes death and resurrection."

Harry accepted the wand as the man held it out to him. It was like being eleven at Ollivander's all over again. The familiar warm tingle of magic ran up his arm as he reconnected with his wand. A smile found its way onto his face without his permission before he was able to regain his indifferent expression; which quickly morphed into one of shock for a moment once he had fully processed what the wandmaker had said. He saw his father giving him a questioning look but he shook his head slightly to indicate that now was not the time to explain before turning back to the wandmaker.

"Thank you, Mr…"

"Petros," the man supplied.

"Mr. Petros," Harry repeated. "Thank you very much. How much do I owe you?"

"Five galleons, if you please," he replied. Harry handed him the coins and gave a final nod before leaving the store.

"Back to Diagon Alley, yes?" Tristan questioned. They made their way back to the busy street before deciding where to go next.

"I think my mother and I are rather hungry," Blaise suggested, "Shall we have lunch next?"

"I do not require any food," Harry stated. He looked to his father and received a nod of agreement. "If you don't mind, I would like to make a run to the Magical Menagerie. We could meet you at the restaurant for a drink when we are done," he suggested. They agreed and split off in separate directions.

"And what is it that you need at a pet store, Harry?" Tristan questioned, slipping into the less formal once they were alone by habit. Harry figured he wouldn't resume the pretense when they met back up with Blaise and his mother and he had had a chance to get more acquainted with new situation of shopping with his heir.

"I had an idea when we were on our way to Gringotts earlier," Harry explained with a mischievous grin as they entered the store. They nodded politely to the woman behind the counter before continuing further into the store. "I have a lot of investigating to do this year, and the more eyes and ears I have to help the better. Especially if those eyes and ears can sneak into places that might present a slight problem for myself without detection… such as the Headmaster's office."

He stopped in front of the snake tanks and searched for one that appealed to him. It needed to be agile and sneaky, but above all else, it had to be intelligent and cunning. He caught sight of one and went to take a closer look. It was an entirely black adder that appeared to be about two and a half feet long. Harry couldn't ask for a better choice. Even if the adder was spotted by accident at Hogwarts, they were native to Scotland and no one would have any cause to be suspicious. It was a gorgeous specimen. Perfect for hiding in shadows. Now, all Harry had to determine was whether it was an intelligent creature.

"Father, keep a look out while I greet it please?" he ended the statement with a slight questioning tone to not appear demanding or rude before turning to the snake.

{Hello} Harry hissed in greeting, as quietly as possible.

{You can speak?} the black snake responded after a moment or two of silence. It seemed shocked, if snakes experienced such things. It had raised its head toward him as it spoke and Harry noticed that its eyes were a reddish color. _How fitting that it will be mine_, Harry thought.

{Yes, I can. Do you have a name?} Harry asked.

{I am called Ciaran} the, obviously male, snake responded.

{Ciaran, I would like to take you home with me and ask for your help to spy on my enemies at times. Is this acceptable to you?} Harry asked. After all, it was a free thinking creature that he could understand. It was best to seek approval.

{Yes, I would accept that, Master} was the response. Harry considered correcting the use of the title Master, but left it alone. He would introduce himself and leave it up to Ciaran.

{My name is Harry, Ciaran. Shall we get you out of here now?}

* * *

"That's quite a beautiful friend you have chosen for yourself," Tristan commented as they stepped out of the menagerie and began to make their way toward the restaurant to meet up with Blaise and Anastasia.

"Mmm, isn't he?" Harry commented fondly while admiring the snake that was now wrapped around his left forearm under his robes. "His name is Ciaran. I think he will make a good partner."

"It was wise of you to choose a native species," Tristan commented, unaware that Harry had thought the same thing in the store.

"I am nothing if not devious, Father," Harry replied with a smirk.

"Are you ever going to enlighten me as to the cause of your surprise when the wandmaker returned your wand?" Tristan asked.

"Yes, I was going to explain once we met up with Blaise and his mother," Harry reassured as they arrived at the designated restaurant. A hostess guided them to the table where Blaise and his mother were already eating. Harry and Tristan each ordered a glass of red wine before settling into their seats.

"So Harry, what was the cause of surprise?" Tristan prompted immediately. Harry rolled his eyes slightly as he flicked his new wand to create a privacy bubble around their table. _Honestly, _Harry thought in fond exasperation, _the man is over a thousand years old. I would have thought he would have learned some patience by now._

"I am not sure if I ever told you this, Blaise and Anastasia, but I know that you know, Father," Harry began. "My wand shares a core with that of Voldemort." He had to pause for a moment as Blaise and his mother both gasped in surprise. "Yes, not only do we both have phoenix feather cores, but they are from the exact same phoenix, Fawkes. Dumbledore's familiar." The looks of utter astonishment on the faces of the Zabini's provided Harry with some amusement. He always did feel a little smug every time he shattered a pureblood mask in public.

"Anyway," he continued, "the only difference to our wands was the wood but now…," Harry trailed off for a moment before finishing with, "well, now they are exactly the same, except that I'm sure the wood is from two different trees. If I ever do confront Voldemort in a duel, not that I really plan to, it'll have to be all wandless. We couldn't duel properly before; I can only imagine it will be much worse now."

"Blimey, Harry! Only you could casually discuss dueling the Dark Lord," Blaise exclaimed. Harry was forced to let out a soft laugh at the completely common word that had escaped Blaise. Seems he was more shocked than Harry thought.

"Always you are thinking of Voldemort," Tristan reprimanded gently, "are there not other things you could be thinking of? Or at least think of some of the other individuals that wronged you."

"Father, I do not fixate on him because I am obsessed or something, have no fear," Harry reassured. "It is more that in life, I suppressed every similarity that existed between myself and him. I had been brainwashed to think all things Voldemort, Slytherin, Dark, etc. were evil. No questions asked. So of course I denied every similarity I had with the man. But now that I have a new life, I find that I am able to accept all our similarities, and in fact be rather curious as to how we have so many. It is part of accepting who I am, yes?"

Tristan grumbled for a moment before agreeing. Blaise and his mother had recovered their composure and Blaise was giving Harry a thoughtful look.

"Yes, Blaise?" Harry asked as he took a sip of his wine.

"Just wondering how the hell you had everyone so fooled in the past," Blaise commented. Harry had to laugh at that.

* * *

Their little group made their way to Flourish & Blotts to pick up their books. Blaise and his Father had somehow gotten into a discussion about the days in which the Founders had lived. Tristan was shamelessly describing his friendship with Salazar Slytherin while Blaise stared at him in almost slack-jawed amazement. Ah, so that was where Harry got his penchant for trying to shatter pureblood masks in public.

"Harry?" the quiet voice of Anastasia inquired from beside him. Harry immediately turned to her.

"Yes, Mrs. Zabini?" Harry asked with a smile. He liked Blaise's mother quite a lot. She was a strong woman who could be quite malicious when the occasion called. He couldn't help liking her. And really, all vampires appreciated beauty, and Blaise's mother had it.

"Come now, Harry, I have told you before, call me Anastasia," she reprimanded with a teasing smile.

"Of course, how silly of me," Harry laughed.

"What classes are you taking this year at Hogwarts?" she asked. "I suppose this is sort of like a new beginning for you, will you be taking all the same ones that you did in the past?"

"No," Harry responded with a snort of amusement. "I was a fool when I picked my upper level classes the first time. I mean, Divination? What was I thinking? Trelawny predicted my death every class period," Harry gave a thoughtful look before adding, "Well, I guess she was right in the end, wasn't she?"

Anastasia gave him a playful smack on his arm to which he laughed before continuing with, "I will also be giving up Care of Magical Creatures. Not that the subject isn't interesting but with Hagrid teaching it, we really never learned anything useful, except that half-giants don't actually know what constitutes a dangerous creature. How I wish I could drop History of Magic, but it is unfortunately required. I'll be taking Ancient Runes and Arithmancy this year as my electives, though. Father spent the last month catching me up in those subjects. I was surprised he even knew the subject material. But I suppose I shouldn't have been; he was a wizard himself before he was ever a vampire. And thank goodness for my father's vampire-accelerated teaching and my own vampire information retention abilities."

Anastasia just laughed before saying, "So you and Blaise will be in all the same classes?"

"Yes, we will. It will be nice to be around someone who really knows me instead of a sea of strangers that I will be keeping my distance from."

Harry and Anastasia walked in silence for a moment while watching Blaise furiously question Tristan up ahead of them. Apparently he had gotten over his awe and his curiosity was taking over.

"May I ask you a rather personal question, Anastasia?" Harry questioned after a moment.

"Of course, Harry," she responded with curiosity.

"Do you ever regret that Blaise was raised around vampires his whole life?"

"No, I do not," Anastasia answered, with no hesitation. Harry's surprise must have shown, because she gave him a smile before continuing, "His father is a vampire now, and I am his mate. It is lucky that our family was able to stay together, even if to the rest of the world I appear as a bloodthirsty widow of multiple husbands." Harry had to laugh at that. The woman was mated to a vampire, some of that cruel bloodlust was bound to show itself every once in a while. Hence, the multiple dead husbands of Mrs. Anastasia Zabini.

"It would not be right for Blaise to not understand his father's instincts and behaviors," Anastasia continued. "Especially as I am with him, some of those behaviors have made an appearance in me as well. This is just how our life is, it would not have been fair to separate Blaise from us and ask him to be different. And really, this life seems to suit him and he is happy. That is all that I can ask as a mother."

Harry felt a momentary pang of jealousy towards Blaise that he had grown up with such love and support. But the feeling was overshadowed by his own happiness that his friend had had such a life. _I am clearly becoming too attached to Blaise,_ Harry thought without any real conviction. _So many sentimental human emotions for him and his mother. At least I know that I am still capable of them with those I trust._

Flourish & Blotts was packed. It shouldn't have surprised Harry since it was only a few days before the beginning of term. Harry and Blaise went off to gather the books that they each required while their parents waited outside in the fresh air. They quickly visited the other shops as well and finished buying their school supplies. They started to head back to the Leaky Cauldron when Harry caught sight of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. It had to be the shop that the twins opened with the money he gave them. He slowed to a stop and stared at the store before deciding that he wanted to see what use his money had been put to.

And to see if he could determine how the twins felt about his death.

He took a few steps towards the store before Blaise grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Why are you going in there?" he questioned, his voice was a mix between confusion and distain at the thought of entering a shop owned by Weasleys.

"You know they needed money, obviously, to open this store, yes?" Harry questioned rhetorically. Blaise nodded anyway before Harry continued, "Well, I gave it to them, in fourth year. Might as well see how they spent it, don't you think?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow before walking into the store. Blaise was surprised, but also heard his unspoken desire to see if Harry's money was all that the twins were missing.

The interior of the store was almost painful to the eye, and that wasn't even taking into account all the strange noises that were making Harry's brain feel as if it were on overload. He blinked a few times and gave his head a little shake to try to clear it. The store was so packed, Harry wondered for a moment if he would even be able to get more than five steps inside the doors. He glanced at his companions and saw the same look of disorientation on their faces that he had just felt. He smiled; it was just like the twins to cram as many clashing noises and colors as they could into one space.

They eventually made their way further into the store. Harry had to stifle a laugh at the look on his Father's face. It could almost be described as that of a child in a candy shop and Harry really couldn't blame him. The mischief and desire to bring discomfort to others that was obviously a part of the thought process behind the creation of the merchandise appealed to their vampire nature. Harry could tell his Father wanted to meet the two devious minds behind it all.

As they were browsing the different displays, Harry spotted the flaming red hair of Ronald and Ginny Weasley and the mousy brown curls of Hermione Granger. He laid a hand on Blaise's arm and tilted his head in their direction. His Father and Anastasia saw the movement and followed their gazes towards Harry's former friends.

Harry had only been able to hear about Molly Weasley's crimes against him at Gringotts. He was hoping to hear more about the betrayals of his former best friends. Ron was not known for censoring his mouth, no matter where he was, and Harry thought that he might feel safe enough in his brothers' establishment to spew his usual verbal garbage and condemn himself; never mind how many people might overhear him. And it appeared that Harry was in luck as he tuned in to their conversation.

"What are we supposed to do, Hermione?" he heard Ron questioning Hermione.

"About what, Ronald?" Hermione's voice sounded tired, with a hint of annoyance, leading Harry to wonder if this was an old rant that she was sick of hearing.

"Well, about You-Know-Who, of course!" Ron hissed in frustration. Harry could see the side of Hermione's face and saw the condescending look flash across her face when Ron failed to say Voldemort's name, as usual. "That bastard went and got himself killed, after endangering us, may I add, and left us all to rot. Really, how hard was it to just sit at his relatives' house and stay out of trouble? But no, he probably went off and tried to save a… a kitten, or something, and got himself killed. He always acted as if he was so special, always breaking rules without a thought to what could happen, like nothing could touch him. Obviously, there wasn't anything special about him if he couldn't even stay alive in a _muggle_ neighborhood!"

Hermione's face was darkening with each word and she spluttered for a few moments, at a loss for words, before seeming to pull herself together.

"Are you even listening to the words coming out of your mouth, Ronald?" she hissed in anger. "You are making a fool of yourself. And how could you talk about Harry like that, he was your best friend!"

"Obviously not," Ron shot back, "if he had been, he wouldn't have always kept me to the shadows. I did just as many things as him. I'm just as good as he was, there was nothing special about him. And you better watch what you say, Hermione, unless you want to end up alone. You know I'm the only friend you got left, now that that asshole's gone."

Hermione's face showed just how livid she was with this speech, but instead of responding, she turned to Ginny, as if hoping at least one Weasley child had not lost their mind.

"Ron," Ginny began, but Ron cut her off.

"No, Ginny," he said furiously, "You only feel sad because you wanted to marry him and live the life of Mrs. Potter. You need to get that out of your head, you were better than him anyway. He would have just gotten you killed; he was always putting us in danger without a thought!"

Harry glanced at Ginny, to see if this was true, and though he could tell that she was going to deny that claim, he could also see that it was actually the truth. Ginny had wanted him for a fantasy life she had built up in her mind, not because she really cared. _And really, how could she_, Harry thought. They barely knew each other when he died; she had only just started to get over her fan girl awe.

Harry wondered why he wasn't exploding in rage while listening to this conversation, but he supposed it was because he had expected this from Ron. He was pleasantly surprised to see that he could probably take Hermione off of his revenge list. She seemed to be truly distraught. The little bit of humanity inside Harry called out to him to reunite with his former best friend and whisk her away from Ron, but he was going to have to think more about it before making a move. He couldn't have her telling anyone who he really was.

"Really now, little brother and sister," came a new voice into the conversation. Harry glanced around to see Fred eyeing his siblings with a disgusted look in his eyes, though his facial expression was pleasant enough. Harry experienced a small moment of hope that he still had the friendship of the twins, before he mentally stamped it out. He had always liked them a lot, but there was no place for emotions when one was plotting revenge. He needed proof first.

"Is that anyway to talk about our dark-haired brother?" Fred continued, with a dangerous edge to his voice, which of course went right over Ron's and Ginny's heads. Hermione caught it, though, and Harry saw her relax as she realized that she at least still had the twins to support her in this.

"Brother?" Ron spluttered in outrage, "He wasn't part of our family!"

"Not sure why you think that?" Fred said in a bored tone, "I liked him more as a brother than I did you. It was refreshing to have a younger brother who wasn't always plotting ways to be better than his older siblings. Imagine that."

"How can you say that?!" Ron exclaimed, "We're related by blood!"

"An unfortunate fact of life that I bemoan every day," Fred muttered, while Hermione turned her head away to hide her smile. Harry couldn't remember ever seeing one of the twins so serious. Maybe his death had hit them harder than he expected. He would find a way to contact them soon.

Ron was about to deliver what was no doubt another idiotic line about family loyalty the he himself seemed to be lacking, when he caught sight of something behind Fred that made his face flush even more red with anger, if that were possible.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Ron asked angrily, before a disgustingly smug look appeared on his face and he added, "Jealous how successful Weasleys really are?"

Fred shot a look at his brother that was a mix of disgust and incredulity at the fact the Ron had tried to lump himself in with the twins success just because they were related. He was about to retort with something that was sure to be scathing but Malfoy beat him to it.

"Really, Weasel?" Draco drawled in his signature bored tone of voice. "Riding on the coattails of your older brothers? Just because they had what it takes to succeed, does not mean the same applies to you. Because it does not. Though I do wonder where the money came from to start this little endeavor," he added quietly, almost to himself. Harry was watching the blond intently, while also trying to not appear obvious. There was something about him…

The longer Harry stared, the more it felt as though something was very gently squeezing his heart. Not enough of a sensation to really be a problem or distract him, but just enough for him to be distantly aware of it. It was rather irritating, if truth be told. Harry was glad that his group was hidden behind a display that they could pretend they were interested in. He could see Blaise, especially, trying to keep out of sight so Malfoy wouldn't notice him and draw attention to their group so they could continue eavesdropping.

"I can't even blame Potter for disappearing. If I had a friend like you Weasel, I'd run off, too," Malfoy continued before walking off, unfortunately right toward their group before they could move out of sight.

"Zabini," Malfoy greeted in a slightly less cold voice than he had used to speak with the Weasleys. He noticed the others standing with his housemate and added, perhaps a bit suspiciously (though that may have been Harry's imagination), "How was your summer? And who are your companions?"

Unfortunately, Ron noticed their group and apparently decided that it was within his rights to confront any Slytherins in his presence.

"What are you Slytherins doing in here?" Ron began, on what was sure to be a rant that would only exhibit just how stupid he was, before Harry cut him off.

"Do you ever stop speaking?" Harry snapped, in the coldest voice he possibly could, and he made sure his words cracked with danger. As a vampire, his coldest voice was quite a bit more terrifying than the average human. He could even see that Malfoy was taken aback, whether because he was afraid or impressed, Harry couldn't be bothered to care at the moment. He was using almost all of his control to stop his internal predator from killing Ron in the most painful way he could think of. He was even sure that his eyes probably had a dull glow to them as he tried to suppress his power. "Do not assume that anyone cares about a single thing that escapes that hideously freckled face of yours." He gave him one last contemptuous look before strolling out of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes with his small group that now included Malfoy. Malfoy's mother, Narcissa, was waiting outside for her son and she joined their group.

"_Henry_," Tristan began, with a slight emphasis on his official name. Harry could see Blaise startle for a second and had to silently thank his Father for the gentle reminder that they were no longer among only friends, "Do you really think that is the best way to introduce yourself to your new classmates?"

Tristan, of course, completely approved of his son's vicious comments and tone, but he might as well be seen pretending to act as a normal human father would act. At least, he thought his reprimand was normal for a human.

"Oh, Father," Harry responded with a perfectly calm and bored drawl, "it's not as if I would have ever been friends with such a complete moron and you know it. Besides, you know Blaise has explained to me all about the Houses at Hogwarts. I doubt I will even see much of him. There's no point in pretending you didn't enjoy watching the show," he finished with a mischievous smile.

His Father gave a noncommittal shrug but let it go, because honestly, he had enjoyed it. Especially how easily intimated the Weasley child was.

"So Blaise, were you going to introduce us all?" Harry purred as he redirected his attention to his friend, pretending he had no idea who the snooty blonde family was. It was slightly cruel, but he enjoyed the reactions he received when he used that tone of voice. Blaise flushed slightly, though you couldn't really tell with his dark skin, before clearing his throat and looking away from Harry so he couldn't be distracted. Reluctantly, Blaise made the introductions that would have had to take place eventually anyway.

"Um, yes, of course," he stumbled a bit before calming down, "Henry, Mr. Renard, this is one of my housemates from school, Draco Malfoy, and his mother. Draco, Mrs. Malfoy, this is my friend Henry Renard and his father. Henry is transferring to Hogwarts this year." Blaise seemed unsure whether Tristan was willing to have his first name given out so he had opted to keep the introducing simple and not include any of the adults' first names.

"A pleasure," Harry purred, directing his tone toward Malfoy this time, just for the hell of it, as he inclined his head slightly and shook Malfoy's hand. Malfoy's reaction was far more satisfying with his pale skin and his reaction made Harry positively gleeful. He was sure Malfoy was horrified with himself for showing such a lack of composure to a new acquaintance. He could almost feel the irritation and confusion flowing off of him, despite the fact that Harry had blocked his empathy for the moment.

"Indeed," seemed to be the only word Malfoy could force out. Though Harry had the ability to cut off his empathy (so that he wasn't completely overwhelmed in public areas, such as Diagon Alley), there was nothing he could do about blocking it if someone touched his skin directly. As a result, he was momentarily bombarded with Malfoy's emotions, though Harry's facial expression never wavered to show his momentary discomfort.

Malfoy was currently a confusing mix of embarrassed, annoyed, excited, interested, and lustful. How intriguing…

Harry quickly greeted Mrs. Malfoy with a kiss to the back of her hand.

Harry's smile was smug as he began plotting the perfect revenge against his refined, blond-haired nemesis of the past. For Blaise's sake (at least he told himself it was for Blaise's sake, to prevent causing problems for him within Slytherin), he wouldn't make it life-threatening or irreparable. _He better appreciate the things I do for him_, Harry grumbled to himself, while expertly ignoring the slight discomfort that still gripped his heart, as their group continued to chat and get to know each other better before the start of term when all hell was sure to break loose.

At least, it would if Harry had anything to say about it.

**A/N:** This was way longer than I could have hoped for, but I'm sure none of you are complaining. Well, it is now the weekend and instead of being a normal person who only works on the weekdays, I work the weekends… And it is Halloween weekend so of course I'll be out celebrating! So, no more updates until next week, just a heads up. I'll be crossing my fingers for reviews, though, because they make me smile. As always, if I wrote something dumb or contradicted myself, it would be awesome if you would tell me. Pretty sure I didn't but… Happy Weekend everyone!

**IMPORTANT QUESTION!**

Would you guys like to learn more about Tristan, such as his appearance, his past, his thought process, etc.? Or should I just keep focusing on Harry? Need to know before I post next, you have a week to give me your opinion!


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter characters belong to J.K. Rowling.

**Warnings:** Cruel/violent/sadistic Harry, blood drinking, slash sex, violence, bad language… vampires definitely NOT acting human… I think that's all.

**A/N:** I was asked if I write sex scenes and if so, will I post them on here. Having never written fanfiction before, this was a question I had been pondering myself. My final decision is that yes, I will write the sex scenes and I will be posting on , just to be safe. I'm not feeling risky right now.

I will put the link in my profile, I did not realize that the link would get all jumbled in here. Sorry everyone!

And I know I said it would be about a week before I would be able to post again but… well, I went out Friday, as planned, to celebrate the wonderful holiday of Halloween and woke up sick. So enjoy the result of me being sick and lazy lol The sadistic Harry scene was probably a result of my bad mood.

This chapter will starts out with a little bit from Tristan's POV! But the majority will be in Harry's POV.

{Parseltongue}

**Chapter 4**

Tristan Renard had been walking the world for a long time. He hadn't thought that he would see anything new that could surprise him. It was rather refreshing to know he was apparently wrong on occasion.

Harry had asked him as soon as they had returned home from their shopping trip about the disappearance of the famous scar that had previously adorned his forehead. Tristan had wondered when, not if, Harry would eventually bring it up. It had surprised him when it had disappeared a few moments after he had felt Harry's life leave his body but a suspicion had quickly formed in his mind as to the cause.

Because when he had felt Harry's life leave his body, he had felt a second one leave it as well. At the time, he had thought he had imagined it, but added to the disappearance of the scar, he decided he needed to do a little research before he drew any solid conclusions.

And he had been sure he had just stumbled across a major secret of one of his enemies. After all, almost all humans were enemies of vampires.

He had eventually confirmed his suspicion. Harry had been a living Horcrux to a deranged madman who had been out to kill him. An _accidental_ living Horcrux, no less. It was delightfully horrifying. And the irony of the whole situation had given Tristan a good laugh.

Harry had asked now, and Tristan had no intention of keeping the information from him, but he had sent Harry out to hunt before they began such a potentially volatile conversation. He had noticed that Harry had acted progressively more human the longer they were out in public and mingling with them, which didn't surprise him.

It also didn't surprise him that it had caused Harry's natural aggression and violent urges to build up under the surface the longer he behaved contrary to his vampire nature. This would be a problem for a little while until Harry had become used to interacting with humans on a more regular basis other than Blaise, who was more vampire than human anyway.

So now Tristan was waiting for Harry to return from terrorizing some unlucky individual. It gave him a moment to reflect on his spontaneous decision to create an heir from the battered Boy-Who-Lived. It was a decision he had never really given much serious thought to in the past.

When he had felt Harry's magic surge from miles away, he knew he had to take advantage of the moment. If he was ever going to create an heir, this seemed to be the perfect opportunity. He needed an exceptionally powerful individual for an heir. Vampires could really only respect power. And Harry's magic was the strongest he had felt in a long time. More powerful than his own.

He wasn't worried about Harry trying to usurp his place. Harry would always be loyal to him, it was a side-effect of creating a vampire; they were unwaveringly loyal to their maker.

He almost felt weak for securing himself an heir, though. It was like broadcasting to other vampires that he believed he could be killed; it i_was_/i a weakness, in a way. He was surprised he hadn't already had to put down challenges to his leadership.

_I need to warn Harry that rogue vampires may try to find him when he's alone at school,_ Tristan thought.

Because as cold-hearted and ruthless as Tristan was, he had to admit that he was quite attached to his heir. It was impossible to create another vampire from your own blood and not forge a bond. He had created a weakness for his enemies to exploit where there had never been one before.

As undeniably powerful as Harry was, even the strongest of foes could be taken down with stealth.

* * *

Harry was roaming the seedier streets of Paris, searching for the perfect victim. His skin was tingling from anticipation and he had to physically hold himself back from doing something silly like skipping. He was a predator, not an excitable child.

Suddenly he caught the scent he was looking for; fear. No, this was more like sheer terror and helplessness. Perfect.

He took off quickly in the direction of the lovely aroma slinking from shadow to shadow. A few turns later and Harry found himself in an obscure and almost pitch black, dead end alley. To his eyes, though, everything was crystal clear. There was a young woman cowering in the corner of the alley, pleas for mercy and hysterical sobs falling from her lips onto the deaf ears of the much larger man blocking her escape. Or maybe not deaf ears, because Harry could smell the man's arousal growing as the young woman became more terrified.

A sadistic smile lit up Harry's face before he stepped into the alley, already looking forward to playing with his food. He needed to give the woman a chance to escape, though, before he could have any fun.

"Hey!" Harry called as he ran, human speed, toward the couple down the alley. "What d'you think you're doing? Stop!"

"This is none of your business," the man snarled after he had whirled around to face Harry. "You better leave, boy, if you know what's good for you." He started to turn back around, obviously used to people backing off from him in fear. This was even better than Harry could have hoped for.

"No way!" he retorted. "You better let her go!" He ran forward to punch the man, keeping in mind that his strength had to appear to be that of an average human for now. It had the desired effect of turning his full attention back to Harry and causing him to stumble to the side so the woman could escape. "Run!" Harry yelled as he ducked one of the man's fists. He wanted nothing to do with the woman; she was already broken, no fun at all. But he wasn't going to waste perfectly good blood by pointlessly killing her just so he could start his fun sooner. "_Now!_" he added when she hesitated. She didn't need to be told again and soon, it was just Harry and his prey left.

Harry's smile promised pain and suffering as he turned back to the enraged man in front of him.

"You'll regret that mistake, kid," he growled as he took a step toward Harry.

"Oh please," Harry responded in his coldest voice, as he let his vampire side take over completely and his eyes slowing bled to red, "make me pay, show me see your worst," he finished mockingly.

Harry felt a slight flutter of uncertainty under the man's rage at the change to his tone of voice before the belligerent anger returned even stronger. Perfect. The dark alley prevented him from seeing what he was truly up against and Harry hoped he could take his time breaking the man.

With a roar of rage, he charged Harry, obviously intent on crushing him to a wall or knocking him over. Harry waited until the last moment before ducking out of the way and twirling so he was behind the man. Having expected to make contact with a body already, the man stumbled and Harry gave him a quick push so he would fall into the wall he had been charging toward. He let out a dark laugh, knowing it would infuriate his quarry. He loved being right.

With the determination that was only seen in someone who had never before been bested, the man picked himself up before charging at Harry again. This time when Harry stepped aside, he stuck out his foot to trip the man. As he was falling, Harry grabbed his wrist and twisted the entire arm behind his back using vampire speed and strength. A satisfying crack of breaking bone echoed in the alley before Harry pushed the man onto the ground, making sure he pushed against the newly broken arm.

"What the fuck?!" the man screamed in agony. Ah, there it was, the first tendrils of fear snaking their way through the anger and making the man's heart beat just a tad faster. But the anger was still there. The man didn't believe that the rest of his life would only be for the next few minutes. Harry was ready to give him something to truly fear, though. As much as he liked playing, he was starving.

He darted behind the man, wrapped an arm around his neck, and quickly Apparated them into the middle of a forest that Harry was fond of. He quickly released the soon-to-be-dead man who seemed to be in shock while his brain tried to figure out what had just happened.

The moon was bright in the clearing they had arrived in. Harry slowly walked around the edge of the clearing until he was directly in front of his prey but obscured by shadows.

"W-who are you?" the man asked while trying to control his sobbing. Fear was taking over him now and there was barely any anger left at all. But it wasn't enough. Harry darted forward, faster than the human eye could see, and quickly broke the other arm before darting back to the shadows. He watched the human scream and writhe in front of him. They were such lovely screams.

As he quieted down a bit, Harry finally stepped out into the light so the man could get his first and last look at him. His eyes were now glowing red, and his fangs had descended to their full length and they caught the moonlight, making them seem even more pronounced.

"Please," the man began. _Yes,_ Harry thought, _I love it when they begin to break and beg. As if they would have given their victims any mercy. They should know better than to expect any such kindness from me. But they're all the same in the end. Pathetic._

"Please, I b-beg you, whatever you want, I'll get it. J-just.. don't hurt me. P-please!" he screamed. He was truly terrified now and it gave Harry a heady rush of power that he had broken a fellow predator. _As if a mere human could compare to me_, Harry let out a low laugh for his thoughts.

"Anything I want? Anything at all?" Harry mocked as he stalked towards his fallen prey with the grace of a hunting panther. Before the man could respond, Harry grabbed the front of his shirt, hauled the man to his feet and then slammed him into a tree.

"I want you to run," Harry growled, his voice becoming more feral with each word, his vampire nature knew it was about to taste death and blood and he was quickly losing all semblance of control. "Run, run, as fast as you can," Harry taunted in a feral, sing-song voice. "And maybe, if you can reach the edge of the forest before I catch you, I'll let you live." He pulled the man away from the tree before pushing him away from himself and out of the clearing into the forest. "Tick-tock, time to run!" he roared.

The man moved faster than Harry would have given him credit for; gasping for air as he continued to sob, he ran into the trees as fast as he could, his balance dangerously unsteady without the use of his arms to steady himself. Harry was sure that every step jarred the injuries even more. Fear was such a wonderful motivator, though. He waited for a count of twenty before taking off after his prey.

The smell of the man's terror was polluting all the air around Harry. This was Harry's favorite part, it was almost better than sex. It might even be better than the blood. Or maybe it made the blood better.

Especially that moment when his prey knew they couldn't escape and all the fight drained out of them. It was almost that time.

Harry was right behind his prey and once again wrapped an arm around his throat to stop him from running anymore. The man let out an embarrassingly high pitched squeal before Harry leaned forward to place his lips right next to the human's ear and whisper, "Not fast enough," before he sank his fangs into the rapidly pulsing artery right in front of him. He made sure the man felt every bit of life being painful sucked out of him as he died.

Harry let the body fall to the ground when he was done. He had made quite a mess and he was covered in blood. He left the body, trusting that the wild animals would finish cleaning up what he had started. A good hunt always left him jittery.

_I know just what I need to calm down_, Harry thought with a smile as he disappeared back to his Father's manor.

* * *

As Harry walked back into his bedroom after taking a shower, he heard the door to his room open quietly and he looked over to see Blaise entering. Blaise stopped dead when he turned around after closing the door when he caught sight of Harry.

Harry had opted to forego any clothing after his shower. He had dried off completely in the bathroom, leaving only his hair damp, and he hadn't even bothered to cover himself with a towel. As a result, Harry was fully on display for Blaise's suddenly hungry gaze. Oh yes, Harry knew just want he needed to calm down.

****Censored ****

"Just what I needed," Harry sighed in contentment. For a few minutes, they merely basked in their post-orgasmic bliss together.

"Why did you go out to hunt tonight?" Blaise asked suddenly. "Why not just drink from me if we were going to have sex? You ended up doing it anyway."

Harry smiled slightly. He had noticed that Blaise really liked it when Harry bit him and fed right before his orgasm beganm helping tip him over the edge. Hopefully, Blaise could find himself some biters in the future as well.

"I assumed you didn't want to die tonight," Harry replied flippantly. "I was feeling rather sadistic."

Blaise nodded after a moment as if Harry had provided him with an acceptable excuse for withholding something he enjoyed. Harry just rolled his eyes before pulling Blaise to him and listening to his friend fall asleep.

* * *

A while later, Harry wandered down to his Father's study, having left Blaise asleep in his bed. He and his Father still needed to have a discussion before he could consider sleeping.

Harry knocked on the door before entering the study he was sure to find his Father within.

"I could hear you brooding from out in the hallway," Harry teased as he took a seat across from his Sire in front of the fire. Tristan mock-scowled at him for his lip and Harry laughed.

"Feeling better I see?" Tristan inquired and Harry nodded. "Would you like the answer to your earlier question?"

"Yes," Harry replied immediately, "considering that you made me work off my frustration earlier, I assume I won't like what you have to say."

"Hmm well better safe than sorry," Tristan began. "When you were raiding my library after you first arrived here, did you ever happen to read any books on soul magic?"

"No," Harry said slowly, "it's not a subject I'm familiar with."

"I'll just jump right to the point," Tristan said briskly. "There's a ritual a wizard can undergo to create an object called a Horcrux. It's very uncommon knowledge, even amongst the darkest of wizards."

"And you just happen to know this information?" Harry asked in confusion.

"I was around when the ritual was created. And vampires make it their business to know when wizards experiment with immortality," Tristan explained. "The Horcrux is the result of some of this experimentation."

Harry narrowed his eyes suspiciously before asking dangerously, "You mean, like how Voldemort is known to have experimented?" Tristan flashed his Son a bright smile for catching on so quick.

"Yes, exactly," Tristan agreed. "However, creating a Horcrux can potentially have negative effects. The real purpose of a Horcrux is to house a _portion_ of a wizard's soul after he splits it, usually by murdering someone. As such, the wizard loses a part of themselves, leading to the possibility of insanity, but that should be unlikely."

"But Voldemort _is_ insane," Harry stated.

"Yes," Tristan nodded, "which leads me to believe he did not create only one. Though how many there are, I do not know. This conclusion also tells me how the phenomenon of your scar probably occurred, however. You were accidentally made into a Horcrux when Voldemort attempted to kill you as a child," Tristan studied Harry's face as he explained to see how he felt about the revelation. Irritation, but not surprise, was badly hidden in his eyes.

"I believe that because Voldemort created multiple Horcruxes, his soul was so unstable that it was able to split apart without the use of the ritual; which should have been impossible, by the way," Tristan finished.

"So of course, it would happen to me," Harry muttered sarcastically.

"Right," Tristan went on, ignoring Harry's tone, "and it would also explain why you had that irritating mental link to the man and shared a number of unique characteristics, such as your ability to speak Parseltongue. But on the bright side," Tristan said cheerfully, "when you died to become a vampire, so did that soul piece, meaning the Dark Lord has permanently lost a part of himself. I would also like to impress upon you the hilarity of the idea that by attempting to kill you, the Dark Lord was inadvertently trying to kill part of himself as well."

"You would find that amusing," Harry shook his head with exasperated amusement, because it was morbidly funny. It would have been funnier if it hadn't involved him, though.

"Wait," Harry said suddenly, "if I was able to speak Parseltongue due to the presence of the soul piece, why am I still able to now that it's gone?"

"This I can only speculate about," Tristan began slowly, "since, you know, I've only had so many living Horcruxes over the years to study and all." Harry scowled at his Father for his inappropriate humor for a moment. "But I have two theories. One, you were able to speak it when you died, and your body is now, more or less, frozen in the exact same state it was in when you died so the Parseltongue wasn't able to fade away over time. Or, your brain developed the connections necessary throughout your life so you eventually didn't need the soul piece at all and became a Parselmouth in your own right."

Harry pondered that for a moment but in the end, it didn't really matter. He was still a Parselmouth, now and forever it seemed. Harry was about to bid his Father goodnight when another question came to his mind that had bothered him earlier in the day.

"Father?" Harry asked and waited for a nod to continue. "One more thing; why does anger feel so much more real to me than any other emotion? And why do I need you, apparently, to help me control it?"

"Remember what I said a moment ago about your body being frozen in the state in which you died?" Tristan asked. Harry nodded. "Well, I felt your emotions when I was turning you. Your anger, rage, hate… and desire for revenge were so strong that they imprinted themselves upon your immortal self. They won't control you, but they will definitely be hard for you to deal with for a while. And they are probably driving you now."

Harry couldn't deny that, and he was annoyed that he was permanently pissed off, apparently. He didn't want to react in anger so easily, as he did so often when he was alive. That had never gotten him anywhere before, except in trouble.

He would have to work harder from now on to keep a level head and stay emotionally turned off in potentially volatile situations. His desire for revenge was driving him now, but Harry hoped it would not always do so. Otherwise, once he had finished carrying out his revenge, what would he have to live for?

**A/N:** Well, what did you think? Was my violent Harry okay? And when you read the sex scene on the other location, I would really appreciate feedback about that. Like I said, first time writing, so I was nervous posting this chapter.


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer**: I own no part of the Harry Potter world or any of its characters. I make no money writing this story.

**Warnings:** Just language, I believe.

**A/N: VERY IMPORTANT!** I went back and rewrote some of chapter 3. I wanted to make sure I had characters interacting at least mostly believably and realized that I had messed up. I should have reread the books before starting this story… Anyway, after some quick research, I've changed the interaction between Blaise and Draco. Blaise is mostly an overlooked character in the books so I wasn't totally sure about him. And I came to the conclusion that he and Draco really aren't friends, more like acquaintances who can get along but don't always. Or if they are friends, they aren't particularly nice or supportive. Blaise is mostly a reserved loner who appears to look down on everyone in some way. And this is actually perfect for my story! Because I already had a reason for this separation that he has created with his peers. So this is the interpretation I'm going with.

My updates are going to be less frequent from now on. The first few chapters I was able to pump out at least once a day and sometimes more than one. But now things are going to start getting more involved and I'm going to have to start being more clever about what I write. I'm going to try to make sure I get at least one chapter up per week. I will of course work as quickly as possible.

And sorry this took forever, when it shouldn't have… I couldn't stop daydreaming about the Voldemort confrontation coming up in a few chapters haha very hard to concentrate on the build-up

Reviews are always appreciated, they make me work faster (no joke) since I know people are out there waiting for me to hurry up and I do not want to disappoint!

{Parseltongue}

**Chapter 5**

Harry was currently sitting on a window ledge in his Father's owlery, marveling over the creature sitting on his arm as he stroked her white feathers. His beautiful Hedwig, ever loyal, had found him even after his death. She had been the only one there for him on so many occasions, witnessing the darkest parts of his human life. He was sure he would have gone mad without her presence to talk to over the years. He hadn't been alone when she was there.

He had found her after his trip to Diagon Alley in the owlery, just as his Father had said he would. He had introduced her to Ciaran, who had received a suspicious glare from her at first, and began explaining to her about his plans for the upcoming year.

Now it was the night before he would be boarding the train at King's Cross to make the journey back to the first place he had ever called home. Hedwig was perched on his right arm while Ciaran was wrapped around his left. Hedwig had gotten over her annoyance of the new creature with her master and now the two were, if not friendly, at least tolerant of each other.

Harry had very mixed feelings in regards Hogwarts now. The castle was so old and steeped in centuries of magic; it was like walking into a warm blanket every time he returned. Having not grown up in the magical world, he liked that he could be constantly surprised by the things he discovered and subjects he learned within the walls of the ancient school.

But he had also always been threatened at Hogwarts - never safe, in a place that was supposedly as safe as Gringotts. He had always been trying to stay ahead of Voldemort, instead of focusing on learning about his wizarding heritage. Or he had been slandered as an insane, attention-seeking teenager, instead of being recognized as a normal teenager with normal teenage problems.

His life had never been his own the moment he stepped foot into Hogwarts. He had never been expected to be anything when he was at the Dursleys, except a useful worker; but he was expected to be everything except human at Hogwarts, and even his reemergence into the wizarding world had changed his life with the Dursleys for something far worse than it had been before.

He was always fighting to survive but never actually living.

And now he had died, and perhaps really living for the first time in death. He was no longer anyone's puppet and he wasn't anyone's savior.

"Well Hedwig, my dear, ready for your costume?" Harry finally broke the calming silence they had all been sitting in.

Hedwig hooted in what Harry liked to think might be affirmative resignation.

"Don't worry, lovely," he reassured, "you will still be beautiful and it will not be forever. But you are too unique and stunning, everyone would recognize you immediately." He smiled as Hedwig puffed up her feathers a little bit at the subtle compliment. Scary smart bird she was indeed.

Harry held out his hand for a moment to gather some of his magic, before running it down Hedwig's body from head to talon. As he moved his hand, it left a trail of magic that slowly spread across her body. As he watched, her feathers melted from white into the blackest of blacks. He had left her luminous amber eyes unchanged, however. The end result was stunning, maybe even more so than when she had been white, but Harry wasn't foolish enough to ever let Hedwig hear that opinion.

Ciaran had been watching and uncurled the upper portion of his body from Harry's arm to inspect his fellow creature's new appearance.

{She is the same color as me now, Master} he observed.

{Yes, she will be less conspicuous now} Harry commented. {She will blend into the night as you will blend into the shadows. The darkness is our friend now; we would be wise to use it}

{She looks better now, the white made her seem innocent. Now she looks dangerous} Ciaran hissed in approval. Harry laughed but could only agree.

Hedwig looked at Harry in surprise for a moment before looking back at Ciaran with a glare.

"Don't worry Hedwig, he only said you looked good," Harry soothed affectionately. Hedwig gave a haughty hoot before sticking her beak up in the air, an obvious demand for more petting. Harry was glad to have his long time friend at his side once again.

* * *

Harry and Tristan, along with Blaise and his mother, arrived on Platform 9 3/4 a good thirty minutes before the train was scheduled to leave. It had hit Harry hard last night that this would be the first time he would be away from Tristan since he had turned for more than an hour or two. His instincts had caused him to start to panic at the thought.

As a result, Harry had spent the night in his Sire's bed, while he tried to make their bond calm down. Even though he never said anything, Harry could tell that Tristan was being similarly affected by their approaching separation. They both knew it was good that they would be spending time away from each other in a non-threatening situation. Otherwise, this discomfort could be used against them. It was hard for either of them to think straight at even the thought of being apart; who knows what would happen if one of them was taken hostage or something before they could learn to adjust?

Harry was feeling jittery and rather snappish now. Blaise was wisely keeping his distance, knowing full well that Harry's vampire instincts were driving him to distraction and he wasn't fully in control yet. Blaise could only hope no one made him angry before he could pull himself together. Otherwise, there was a good chance someone would end up dead.

"Remember what I said, Son," Tristan murmured, only for Harry's ears. "Keep a sharp eye out for anyone who might intend harm to you. I am not without enemies, you are going to be the easiest way to get to me now that we are separated. I would be displeased if anything were to happen to you."

And Harry could see in Tristan's eyes that what he really meant was that if anything were to happen to Harry, his Sire would most likely carve a bloody path through vampires and humans alike in his rage. It warmed him to know he finally had someone who cared about him.

"Don't worry, Father," Harry reassured. "I won't be caught unawares."

They quickly said their farewells before Harry and Blaise boarded the train and found a compartment in the section that tended to be populated by Slytherin House. Not many students had arrived yet, so the two friends were able to relax for a moment and concentrate on who they were supposed to be this year.

This was a yearly ritual for Blaise. He had never told anyone in Slytherin about his connections to vampires or that his father was one of them. Vampires required silence from the humans who mingled with them, and it hadn't been hard for Blaise to keep that silence. He was protecting his family. They had always been there for him, and he would be there for them. He tried his best to subdue the vampiric urges he had developed over time, such as his appreciation for violence and sexual promiscuity, but he wasn't perfect. So discretion, on the occasions when he cracked, was the key to keeping his secret. And he and Harry- _No, Henry, I better start thinking of him as Henry if I don't want to create any suspicion for him_, Blaise reprimanded himself quickly. He and _Henry_ were going to have to behave more like human friends.

Blaise was sure he was probably going to spontaneously combust from sexual frustration. Humans just weren't the same as vampires…

Meanwhile, Harry was mentally preparing himself as well. He was trying to drag up his lingering human instincts. He did not want anyone to know that he was a vampire. It would be too risky, someone could connect Harry Potter to the new, _green_-eyed vampire who just happened to transfer to Hogwarts after Harry Potter's death. No, that wouldn't do at all.

So, he couldn't casually touch people and try to seduce them. Well, he could, but he would need to be very discreet. He was sure the Slytherins would be watching the new guy among them. And Harry had no doubt he would be placed in Slytherin this time around. He would definitely need to control his bloodlust. And no unnecessary violence; that might cause him to lose control of the easily accessed rage that was always just below the surface. He could only be cold, hard, and calculating. He had too much to do, he could not be distracted.

And he had to remember to respond to the name Henry and introduce himself as such.

A greater number of students were milling around the platform now, saying their last goodbyes and enthusiastically greeting their friends. Harry watched them in stony silence, keeping an eye out for the ones he had a particular grudge against.

Ten minutes before the train was set to leave, Harry saw a mass of red moving toward the train, announcing the arrival of Weasleys. A slight scowl flitted onto Harry's face at the same moment that their compartment door was abruptly pulled open. Quickly smoothing his face back to impassiveness, Harry turned his head slightly to the sight of Malfoy, followed by Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson. He saw Blaise stiffen with their entrance, obviously slipping back into his cold Slytherin persona.

"Zabini," Malfoy nodded in his direction before turning to Harry, "And Henry Renard, if I've remembered correctly?"

"Yes, nice to see you again, Draco Malfoy," Harry returned, not in the mood to shamelessly flirt for entertainment this time. "I am not familiar with your companions, however."

"Ah yes," Malfoy said, "they are Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson," he nodded to each in turn as he said their name, "And this is Henry Renard, a friend of Zabini's," he added to his entourage.

They all glanced at Harry in mild surprise, letting Harry know that it was odd to be called a friend of Blaise. They all settled into their seats and waited for the train ride to begin. Harry caught Pansy eying him in a most disturbing fashion in his peripheral vision. Though, now that he was no longer blinded by prejudice toward Slytherins, he had to admit that she had developed into a rather attractive young lady. He could barely see any trace of her previously unfortunate resemblance to a pug.

Blaise noticed Pansy's interest and mentally laughed to himself. Harry was going to have one hell of a time fighting her off if she really decided to pursue him. He almost hoped it happened just so he could watch Harry try to deal with the slutty bitch without ripping her head off. But then Blaise reminded himself that he would most likely be forced to endure her company by extension if she insisted on following Harry.

"Oh Draco," Harry heard Pansy's voice before he covertly began to listen intently, "how is your father? It's simply dreadful that he was forced to spend any time in Azkaban. So lucky they realized their mistake and released him. I hope your family is pressing charges."

Harry almost laughed as Pansy tried, and failed (if Malfoy's face was anything to go by), to provide support and comfort to the man she desired. How the dumb bint didn't realize that Malfoy could barely stand her presence, Harry couldn't understand. _Aren't Slytherins supposed to be observant and clever?_ Harry thought in confusion. Though the information that Lucius Malfoy was once again free did fill Harry with furious anger. Cornelius Fudge would apparently turn a blind eye to anything for the right price. Harry briefly wondered if he could have made Fudge declare Voldemort officially returned earlier if he had bribed him enough. The thought made him sick.

"My father is perfectly fine, Pansy," Draco replied coldly, "As you said, it was an unfortunate misunderstanding. I am sure it will not be happening again."

Harry was unaware that his facial expression was reflecting his inner thoughts of anger and revenge against pompous bastards, but Blaise noticed and subtly tapped his friend's leg with his toe. Harry became aware that his facial muscles felt tense and quickly tried to relax, even though he was mentally yelling at himself for failing to contain his anger effectively, again.

"Well, Renard," Malfoy began, probably in an attempt to redirect Pansy's attention, "tell us something about yourself."

"That's a rather open-ended request," Harry commented with a raised eyebrow. "My father and I are from France and I will be starting my sixth year, same as you if I'm not mistaken."

"Are you not familiar with any of the British wizarding families then?" Pansy inquired.

"Oh no," Harry assured her, "I am quite familiar with them."

"So you know which families hold more sway and power than others," Draco stated, a barely hidden threat in the words, no doubt meant to let Harry know that Draco was in control here.

"I know which families think they deserve the respect and fear of others," Harry countered with an arrogant shrug, "But that does not make it true. And they do not impress me."

"Do not make the mistake of arrogance, Renard," Draco reprimanded, "It is too early for you to be making enemies."

"Who says I intend to make enemies?" Harry asked in false-surprise. "For the sake of my fellow classmates, I hope I will be left alone. I have no interest in your British politics. They mean nothing to me."

Harry could tell that Malfoy was not taking too kindly to being blatantly brushed off as a non-threat. Not that Harry didn't consider him a threat on some level, but definitely not something to be worried about. Except…

Now that he was no longer filled with murderous thoughts, Harry had become aware of the gentle squeezing around his heart once again. He knew what it meant. His mate was here. And Harry was pretty confident he knew who it was.

And it did not make him the least bit happy.

* * *

The rest of the train ride passed fairly quickly. Harry was content to absently observe his future housemates' interactions with each other. It was an easy way to learn about them.

For example, Crabbe and Goyle, while not quite as stupid as he had believed before, were still not the brightest candles. But they were definitely sneaky enough to be Slytherins. They acted far less intelligent than they really were, and were almost overlooked by the others. But Harry could tell that they were keenly watching every interaction and filing away the information. He wasn't certain, but Harry was almost positive that not even Malfoy knew about his bodyguards hidden observational skills.

Malfoy was too arrogant for his own good, obviously assuming that he was the undisputed leader among the Slytherins, at least of their year. Harry would have to see how he interacted with the rest of the house. Having basically brushed Malfoy aside, Harry was a bit worried he might find himself in trouble pretty shortly if Malfoy held the control in Slytherin house. Ripping that control from Malfoy could just be considered part of his revenge, though, if it came to that.

Parkinson was barely even worth noticing. She was an unextraordinary pureblood witch who acted as though it was expected that the men would pay attention to her and spent most of the train ride trying to gain Malfoy's attention. Harry could tell she wanted to use her charms on him but wasn't sure if she should approach him, especially after the subtle power struggle he had just had with Malfoy. Harry was glad she kept her distance.

Most intriguing to him, though, was observing his friend Blaise. After observing Blaise's open personality all summer, seeing how cold and closed-off he was around the other Slytherins was like watching a completely different person. He clearly detested Parkinson, thought Malfoy was weak, and ignored Crabbe and Goyle. Though Harry noticed he was careful of what he said and occasionally his eyes darted to the two bodyguards suspiciously. So Harry wasn't the only one who had noticed their silent observation.

Harry was fascinated by it all. He had been too blindly Gryffindor while alive to appreciate all the subtle signs he was picking up now. He had previously assumed that Slytherins were united as one big Dark Lord-loving, Dark Arts-practicing bee hive. Every time Malfoy's father was mentioned, Blaise would almost sneer, and slide a disdainful look toward the younger Malfoy, clearly unimpressed with the family's support of the Dark Lord. Every time Parkinson opened her mouth, he looked pained, but Harry could understand that. Her voice was rather high-pitched and whiny, not a pleasant combination.

Shortly before their arrival to Hogwarts, the confrontation Harry had been awaiting finally took place. As usual, Weasley was sticking his nose in places where it didn't belong and apparently he felt it was a good time to pick a fight with Malfoy. He saw that Hermione was being reluctantly dragged along behind him, clearly wanting no part in his foolish childishness.

"Oh look, it's the ferret," Ron exclaimed viciously, "how's daddy doing rotting in prison, by the way, I forgot to ask last time we ran into each other."

Harry was momentarily stunned by the stupidity of one Ronald Weasley. Was he aware he was in all-Slytherin territory? Was he aware that there were no teachers to save his stupid arse; and definitely no Harry either? Had this really been his best friend for the last five years? Harry was momentarily ashamed of his poor choice of companions in the past before Malfoy responded.

"My father is perfectly fine, Weasel," Malfoy sneered, "The ministry made a mistake, but he is at home where he belongs. Are you too poor to even receive a paper?"

"Your father is at home?" Ron demanded, outraged.

"Is there an echo? I do believe that's what I just said," Draco commented condescendingly. "Where's the four-eyed member of your trio? Still lost him, have you?"

"He isn't lost," Ron spat, as Hermione desperately tried to stop him from speaking before he could reveal something he shouldn't, but it was too late, "The dumb bastard got himself killed."

A deafening silence greeted that statement, though Harry saw Hermione bury her face in her hands and turn away to try to hide her tears. Malfoy stared at Ron in disbelief, before his gaze flicked to Hermione and gauged her reaction. He seemed to be in shock, like he couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"Is that so?" Draco retorted after a moment. "You don't seem too upset considering your best friend is supposedly dead."

"Why should I be?" Ron snarled venomously. "He never took me seriously or gave me any credit. He just used me to get a family of his own."

"I never thought you could be more pathetic, Weasel," Draco said scathingly, and Harry was surprised at how much disgust was held in his gaze as he glared at Harry's former best friend. "It's a shame Potter didn't heed my advice on that first train ride. You really were the rotten choice, but that's no surprise to me. Now get out before I do something unfortunate."

Malfoy flicked his wand quickly so the compartment door shut in Weasley's face before he could respond and then he flicked it once more to lock the door.

"Do you really think he's dead, Malfoy?" came Crabbe's voice after a few moments of silence.

"Yes, didn't you see Granger's face? She was heartbroken," Draco responded.

"Well, that should be great news for you, Malfoy," Blaise spoke up suddenly. "You were always complaining that you wished Potter would die, especially at the end of last year after your father went to jail. Though that doesn't seem to have lasted," he muttered the last bit to himself, though Harry heard him.

"Yes, well, it will be odd, at the very least, to not have to worry about Potter bothering me for once," Draco agreed. "But he was the most interesting… past-time I had while at school."

"What about me, Draco?" Pansy cooed.

"What about you?" Draco asked coldly with a raised eyebrow. Pansy huffed at him in anger for a moment before stalking out of the compartment with her nose in the air. "Finally," Draco sighed. "That bitch drives me crazy. I can't believe Father was considering betrothing us. I hope he didn't actually do it."

"Why don't you just tell your father that you despise Pansy, Malfoy? Or better yet, that you prefer cock over all those curves?" Blaise sneered. "Oh, but I forgot, Malfoys don't really make their own decisions, they just follow the decisions that others make for them."

"Be careful, Zabini," Malfoy growled dangerously. "At least the Malfoys stand for something, unlike the Zabinis who are too cowardly to take a stand on anything."

"Oh, the Zabinis stand for something, but it's not your place to know what," Blaise countered with a smirk as the train pulled to a stop in Hogsmeade. Blaise stood swiftly, nodded arrogantly to the other occupants of their compartment and left. Harry began to follow his friend but turned around at the compartment door.

"Gentlemen," Harry said, nodding his head almost mockingly. "It's been a pleasure. Hopefully, we'll be meeting again in a moment." And then he, too, was gone, trying to catch up to his friend and pretending he didn't notice that the discomfort in his heart lessened with each step he took away from the compartment.

* * *

Harry was waiting in an alcove of the Great Hall next to the Head Table. He was going to be sorted before the first years. He had met Dumbledore a few moments before so the Headmaster could explain to "Henry" about how students were sorted at Hogwarts. Harry had wanted to rip the man's arm off when they shook hands in greeting but had managed to keep his expression and his emotions on a tight leash. It really wouldn't do if he had let his magic escape him so early. He didn't want anyone to know just how powerful he was.

Harry had been more than happy to note the slightly wild look in the depths of the old man's eyes, however, no doubt due to Harry Potter's death. Harry wondered what Dumbledore was going to do to save face now that the Light's weapon was dead. Harry's eyes flicked to the Gryffindor table for a moment as a new thought occurred to him. That was something he should have considered earlier, not that it really changed his plans, but… It wasn't his problem anymore, anyway.

Now Harry was waiting to be introduced to his classmates and take his place in Slytherin, where he should have been years ago. He was brought back to attention when Dumbledore stood to address the students.

"Welcome back, students! The regular sorting that I'm sure you are all anxiously awaiting will begin in a few moments. But first, we have a new transfer student from France that needs to be placed! Please welcome Henry Renard!" Dumbledore announced cheerfully.

Harry stepped out of the spot he had been concealed behind and strode confidently up to the stool that had the Sorting Hat placed on it. It was very different being back at Hogwarts now. Even though he had turned off his empathy, he could still smell, and even hear, the signs of many of the emotions the students were feeling at the moment. There was sweat and pheromones, and accelerated heart rates and quickened breath. It was almost overwhelming. The changes could have meant anything from anger to fear to lust.

Harry sat on the stool with an impassive face and placed the Sorting Hat on his head.

'_Hello again, Mr… Renard, is it now? How you've changed from before. Will you be fighting me again?_' the Hat inquired dryly within the privacy of Harry's mind.

'_Hmm, no. I was thinking about letting you do your job this time, what do you think?_' Harry asked sarcastically.

'_How very kind of you, Mr. Renard. I'm glad to see you embracing everything that you are now, instead of letting others influence what is best for you. It is always a shame to see a wizard stunting themselves by pretending to be something they are not_,' the Hat commented. '_I don't get much excitement in my life, as I'm sure you know. I look forward to the day when they all realize that their savior Harry Potter was really only ever suited for-_'

"SLYTHERIN!" the Hat finished out loud to the waiting school. The Slytherins cheered and Harry made his way over to the table with a barely there smirk on his face. He slid gracefully into a seat next to Blaise and waited for the actual Sorting to begin.

As the first years shuffled into the Hall, Harry took the time to observe those around him. As he glanced to the front of the Hall, his eyes met the probing black gaze of his father, Severus Snape. He returned the gaze defiantly, letting the man know he was not in the least bit intimidated by him. He knew what the best revenge would be for his human father. It was going to be subtle and slow. Perhaps even the cruelest of all the revenge he was going to seek if he really thought about it.

He let his gaze drift away only to be drawn to Dumbledore. Harry was thankful that the memories from his life were more like vague dreams unless he really concentrated on them. Especially now that he knew he was going to be rather explosive for a while. There were so many things that had happened in his previous life that he held Dumbledore responsible for. And to make it worse, Harry was fairly positive that Dumbledore hadn't been trying to be cruel or malicious. The man was just… losing his concept of what was an acceptable sacrifice for the cause. Every time he cut a corner at the cost of someone else it made it that much easier to do it the next time and then again, until he was no longer aware that what he was doing wasn't acceptable and was no longer plagued by guilt. Harry was sure this had been happening for many years. It was easy to become desensitized after a while.

Harry needed to make him realize his error. And then ruin him completely.

Finally Harry flicked his gaze to the Gryffindor table and observed as Ron joked with his housemates and Hermione sat in subdued silence. Many of the Gryffindors were glancing between the two in confusion, clearly wondering where the third member of their trio was, why Hermione looked so distressed, and how Ron could be so carefree under the circumstances.

How easy it was going to be to ruin his former best friend. Harry was only regretful that the bastard didn't have far to fall in the first place.

* * *

The Slytherin common room looked just the same as it had in Harry's second year. He was a bit excited at the prospect of snooping around everywhere without fear of being discovered.

Harry had originally told himself that he was not at Hogwarts to make friends, only to exact his revenge and then disappear again to live his life in peace for once. But he realized that it would be best to at least make nice with the other Slytherins, if not become friends of a sort. Blaise kept his distance to protect his family from persecution. But Harry had nothing to worry about; Tristan could take care of himself. Perhaps some backlash could hit Blaise if Harry's vampirism was discovered, but Harry was sure he could make Blaise look the victim in the situation and keep his place in wizarding society secure.

As Harry and the other sixth year boys got ready to sleep in their dorm room, Harry noticed that Theodore Nott kept glancing in his direction. His expression was a mixture of suspicion and apprehension. Harry wondered if the boy was suspicious about him being Harry Potter or a vampire. Or something else entirely.

_Whatever it is_, Harry thought to himself as he began to drift into sleep after spelling his curtains shut, _I'm sure I can use it to my advantage somehow_.


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any part of the Harry Potter fandom nor do I make any money from writing this story.

**Warnings:** Bad language, little bit of sexy stuff, Harry's stubborn idiot streak making a bit of an appearance

**A/N:** I wasn't going to do it but… we'll be hearing from Draco in this chapter for the first time. Not sure how much we'll hear from him throughout the story but I've decided to start now instead of much later.

Hopefully this chapter will reassure everyone that this isn't going to be a destructive relationship and that Harry is having his first conflict with the instincts he's coming to depend on versus his drive for revenge. He's supposed to be confused and a bit stupid for a moment while he comes to terms with what's going on. And I wasn't aware I was making Draco out to be a fool. I was trying to highlight Draco's tendency to idolize and follow everything his father does without question instead of thinking for himself. Sorry if it came out wrong. But no, I don't think Draco is stupid. But I think he needs to change and be his own person, like Harry has done now that he has been given a chance to see his former life clearly.

{Parseltongue}

**Chapter 6**

Harry awoke to a startling amount of green before he remembered that he was in his new bed within the Slytherin dorms. Ciaran was curled up on the pillow next to him. Harry raised a finger and trailed it gently down the length of the snake's body in an attempt to wake him.

{What is it?} Ciaran hissed grumpily as he opened one eye to observe Harry.

{I need to go and shower, and then I think maybe I should give you a bit of a tour of Hogwarts before everyone else wakes up, yes?} Harry asked. Ciaran hissed an affirmative before Harry covered him with a blanket and headed off to the bathrooms to get ready for the day.

As a vampire, Harry did not require more than a few hours of sleep a night and easily woke up long before the others that he was now living with. He needed all the time he could get to start carrying out all the plans he wanted fulfilled.

Harry slowly undressed while he waited for the shower to heat up. Yesterday had been tense and stressful, and Harry was still feeling it. He needed some sort of release to calm down so he could face the new day with at least a modicum of calmness about him.

When steam began to billow out of the stall, Harry slipped inside and sighed in contentment as the hot water pounded against his back. He felt his muscles begin to relax of their own accord and smiled slightly to himself as he absently trailed one of his hands down his body. He needed to relax, and he might as well start discouraging his vampiric desire for sexual intimacy with a very human approach.

Harry closed his eyes as he blocked everything else out of his mind except for the feel of his hand on his body. Though, of course, he imagined it was someone else's hand. A pleasant tingling spread from the tips of his fingers through his body and directly to his groin, allowing it to swell quickly.

As Harry's arousal grew, his skin became more sensitive to touch. He wasn't much in a mood to take his time and one of his hands dropped to fondle his balls while the other gently teased a nipple. Little jolts of pleasure shot through Harry's stomach to his cock, making it twitch slightly.

Impatiently, Harry grabbed his cock and began to stroke it lazily as he leaned back against the shower wall, pretending that someone else was stroking him as they pushed him back. The faceless person ran their hand up over the head of his cock before moving down again. Harry could almost feel ghostly lips kissing their way down his neck and the hand giving him pleasure sped up.

The person in front of him kissed further down his body, across his chest and down his abdomen before completely sinking to their knees. Harry moaned quietly to himself and had to quickly stifle a gasp as they swallowed him and began to bob their head.

Harry's orgasm was fast approaching and his head fell back against the shower tile as the sensations began to overwhelm him. He slid his hands into platinum blonde hair and his grip automatically tightened as the pleasure began to reach its peak.

Harry tilted his head back down and gazed into smirking grey eyes as his orgasm hit. He cried out softly and he screwed his eyes shut.

As they waves of pleasure died down and Harry came back from his vivid daydream, he stood in disbelieving shock for a moment. This couldn't be happening. His Sire had assured him that vampires did not have to accept their mates. It was a suggestion more than anything else. After all, vampires couldn't reproduce, so why have a mate?

He had only been around Draco – no, Malfoy! – for less than a full day, how could this be happening. Harry had hoped he would not find the one meant to be the perfect mate for him, but he had acknowledged that if he found them, he would probably accept them, eventually. But it wasn't supposed to be Dra- Malfoy! After everything that had happened between them, Harry couldn't just roll over and let the prat win because Harry's instincts were taking control.

His mind was definitely at war with itself. One part acknowledged that he was being a childish fool to ignore his instincts when they were directing him to the one that could truly make him happy. But another part of his mind, the most bitter part that felt he had experienced nothing but pain thus far in his existence, wanted to be irrationally stubborn and fight against the whole unreasonable mate thing. His head almost felt like it was going to split open.

He and Dr- Malf-_Draco_ had been competing and trying to outdo each other ever since they met. Part of Harry felt like just accepting this new turn of events would be handing Draco a win over Harry; that Draco could hurt him so much more this way than anything that had occurred in the past. And then the much more rational part of Harry tried to reason that Harry would also be winning in this situation.

Harry slowly came out of his frozen state and quickly washed the rest of his body before turning off the shower. He wasn't sure he was ready to think about this situation any more at the moment. But if his reactions were already changing this much without his permission, he wondered how much longer there would be something to think about before all his old mental barriers in regards to one Draco Malfoy were no longer there to be a problem.

Right now he had other things he could think about, like showing Ciaran his way around Hogwarts and particular areas where the snake could spy.

He dressed quickly and hissed to Ciaran that he was ready to go so that the snake could wind his way up Harry's arm before they both quietly left the dormitory.

{What is bothering you, Master?} Ciaran hissed once they were in the hallway in front of the Slytherin common room entrance.

{Why do you think something is wrong?} Harry asked, startled.

{You're muscles feel very tense under me and your skin is prickling to the touch} Ciaran explained.

{Sorry} Harry said as he quickly fought to calm his evidently churning magic, hoping that's what Ciaran meant by prickling. {I just… I… I found my mate}

{That is wonderful. Will you claim them now?} Ciaran asked matter-of-factly.

{I- what? Of course not!} Harry countered, taken aback slightly. {I don't want a mate. I don't need one. I won't have anything controlling me now that I have a second chance at life}

{That's foolish. Why would you not want your mate?} Ciaran asked in confusion. {They will make you happy. Do you not want to be haappy?}

Harry scowled as his _snake_ made him feel stupid. When it was phrased so bluntly like that, Harry couldn't really give any credence to that irrational voice in the far recesses of his mind.

{Of course I want to be happy} Harry sighed. {But my mate… we have history, and it is not pretty. I have no reason to trust him and I have never seen any sign that he is a person that I could want to be with. It's just too much to think over when I have so many other things that I need to take care of}

{I think you are making it more difficult than it needs to be} Ciaran insisted. {You should just go and tell your mate that you want to be with them and enjoy your happiness}

{We're done discussing this, Ciaran} Harry hissed quietly. {You wanted to know why I was upset, now you know. And now we have other things to speak of}

{Fine, fine. Where are these places you need me to sneak into and what am I listening for?} Ciaran asked.

{The most important is Headmaster Dumbledore's office. Anything he says that refers to Harry Potter, the Chosen One, the Boy-Who-Lived, the Dursleys, or the prophesy. Possibly the Potters, Longbottoms, or anything that sounds suspicious, like something a good man shouldn't be involved in. Maybe if something is mentioned about a weapon as well. That might refer to me as well} Harry responded.

{Headmaster Dumbledore is the one with long white fur and blue eyes?} Ciaran asked.

{Yes, he used to be my mentor. Someone I wanted to be like. That I respected} Harry said bitterly. {And then I saw who the man really was; what he was hiding behind the façade of the old man i_he_/i wished to be}

{I will watch him, I promise} Ciaran assured.

{The other area I may want you to watch is the Gryffindor Tower} Harry said. {But hopefully, I may be able to find some allies there. I wouldn't want to risk you. Snakes aren't exactly welcome in that territory}

{Then let us hope you find an ally or two} Ciaran agreed.

{You need to be especially careful in Dumbledore's office} Harry warned. {His phoenix, Fawkes, lives in there, and the walls are covered in portraits of the previous Headmasters who can report your presence to the old man}

{His phoenix?} Ciaran questioned. {Phoenixes have no masters}

{Perhaps just a friend then} Harry commented. {But it doesn't matter. Either way, Fawkes is not to be trusted}

{Alright, I will avoid him to the best of my ability} Ciaran said. {Is there anyone you trust enough to know of my presence?}

{Only Blaise} Harry said. {I want no one else to be aware of you, and especially not that I can speak to you. I may as well announce that I was once Harry Potter if anyone found out I can converse with serpents}

{Very well, I'll try my best not to distract you and encourage conversation unless we are alone} Ciaran agreed. {If you want me on your person at all times, then maybe you should find a way to ensure that I am concealed}

{Yes, I thought of that} Harry said. {I was hoping you would allow me to cast a Disillusionment Charm on you}

{Fine, I have no objection} Ciaran responded. Harry nodded before quickly pulling out his wand and casting the spell. He hated using a wand but he had to train himself to remember it if he was going to spend time at Hogwarts again. As he put away his wand, he entered the hallway that held the entrance to Dumbledore's office and stopped by a window as if he were looking out at the landscape.

{Ciaran, do you see that statue of a gargoyle down the hall a ways?} Harry hissed as quietly as he could.

{Yes} Ciaran nodded his head a bit.

{That is the guardian to Dumbledore's office area. Behind that statue is a moving staircase that goes up to the room. If I'm lucky, I will be called up to meet with him soon so you can see what the room is like and if you want, I could leave you there at that time. I would leave the Disillusionment Charm on you but the rest would be up to you to find your way back to me. Do you remember the way back to the dungeons from here?} Harry asked.

{Yes, I can find it} Ciaran reassured. It was sort of weird for Harry to be speaking to what appeared to be a disembodied voice. It brought back vague memories of his second year.

{Then I think it is time to head for breakfast before I am missed} Harry said before heading back the way they came.

* * *

_It has to be some sort of predetermined fate that will survive the ages_, Harry thought sarcastically as he headed to his first class of the year, the Gryffindor/Slytherin Potions class. He wondered what idiot thought it would be smart to put the two volatile houses together in a class that could be potentially explosive. It was asking for a disaster.

He had been hopeless at potions in life, but he had studied the theory behind it over the summer and realized that Potions wasn't nearly as hard as he had made it. By allowing himself to take after Ron's lazy attitude, he had just made school more difficult in the end for himself. He was by no means a Potions Master, but he was confident enough that he would blend into this class as at least an average potions student.

He settled into a chair next to Blaise and waited for Snape's typical dramatic entrance. He had to wait only a few minutes before Snape swept into the room and began his beginning of the year intimidation.

"I am surprised to see some of your faces in this N.E.W.T. level class. I can't imagine how you got in, but hopefully you can hold your own unless you plan on encountering many injuries this year," Snape said scathingly. "I shouldn't have to teach you what to do by now, the potion we are brewing is on the board, directions are in your book."

Harry and the other students began to open their books to the correct page before Snape added, "Oh, and I will be partnering you together before you begin. We'll keep it within the houses this time as I have no desire to witness a disaster so early in the year. These," Snape flicked his wand at the board again for more writing to appear, "are your partners. Now get to work."

Harry briefly considered leaving the class or maiming his human father for a moment when he saw his partner. Was the universe playing a grand prank on him? It must be, since he was paired with Draco for the day. He took a moment to squash every ounce of emotion into nothingness within him before he gathered his things and made his way over to where the blonde was sitting. He could not slip up. He was at Hogwarts for revenge. No other reason.

He set his things on the workbench he was to be using and saw that Draco was already setting up a cauldron for them.

"I'll get the ingredients," Harry offered neutrally before heading toward the supply cabinet. He waited behind the other student who had gotten there before him and let his mind wander for a moment. He was amused that Blaise had been paired with Pansy for the class, but was far less amused to see Ron paired with Neville. He thought Snape had been trying to prevent disaster, but he had just created one. Harry was planning on keeping an eye on them throughout the class period. He had no desire to spend the rest of the day in the hospital wing. Or, more likely, attempting to explain why he didn't need to spend the day in the hospital wing.

He gathered the supplies and made his way back to Draco. He calmly set them down between the two of them and watched Draco take the first one that needed to be prepared without making any comment. It looked like Harry wasn't the only one who had opted for peaceful silence.

Harry glanced at his book before picking out the next ingredient they would need. He hoped that he could concentrate solely on his work and hand movements and avoid any possible lapses in control like the one that had occurred in the shower just that morning.

He was horrified for a moment when he felt a stirring of arousal just at the mere _thought_ of his unexpected daydream. That was completely unacceptable. He should have better control over his body. Control was the vampire mantra. They wouldn't be able to exist among humans without it.

{Master, is that your mate?} Ciaran hissed in an almost silent whisper. He could feel the black adder slowly moving toward his wrist, probably in hopes of getting a look at Draco. {You suddenly smell of pheromones}

It seemed his infernal snake wasn't able to keep silent in this. Lifting his left arm as if to run his hand through his hair, Harry responded {Yes, shut up}

He let his hand fall back to his side and hoped that if Draco had heard anything, he would think it was only Harry sighing through his teeth or something.

Harry glanced over at his partner and saw that Draco seemed to be completely immersed in his preparation. He had proceeded to perfectly prepare their first ingredient with precise and deliberate hand movements. Harry found himself staring at the blonde's hands as they moved with graceful confidence before moving up to his face. Draco's expression was one of concentration and what appeared to be enjoyment. He looked calm and peaceful, not as if he was faking the emotions the way Harry currently was.

"Are you planning to help with our potion or were you planning on staring at me while I do all the work?" came Malfoy's whisper suddenly. He was still looking at the ingredient that he was almost finished with but Harry saw him dart a sideways glance at him before looking away with annoyance.

Fully prepared to retort with something scathing to cover up his embarrassment with failing his exercise in control, Harry opened his mouth to respond, "I can't help but appreciate beauty when I see it. It's not something most people seem to want to take the time to do anymore. Sometimes I get easily distracted because of it, forgive me."

Although what Harry really wanted to do was slap a hand to his mouth, or take back the damning words that had not had his permission to be said in the first place, he instead finished his comment with the most dazzling smile he could manage. He wasn't going to let Malfoy know just how out of sorts he felt by letting the simple compliment slip, so he would act like it was deliberate.

And figure out what to do about their apparently inevitable relationship later when his mind was no longer trying to embarrass him.

Although he was mortified by what he had said, he was happy to note that Malfoy couldn't hide the faint blush that was dusting his cheeks at the moment. So maybe he hadn't completely alienated the blonde on the train. Or maybe his blush was from anger. Harry quickly turned back to the ingredient he had and prepared it in record time before moving onto the next one.

He only had an hour and a half left of class. Hopefully he could refrain from making a fool of himself again.

* * *

Draco was very irritated that he had such pale skin at the moment. He did not lose his composure in front of other Slytherins. It was something they could exploit later. Only Potter had been able to make him lose it in the past.

He subtly watched Renard throughout the rest of the class, only speaking when absolutely necessary. The boy was a mystery and Draco couldn't help being intrigued. Nor could he seem to help being drawn to the other teen, much to his consternation.

The Renards couldn't be very powerful in France, otherwise Draco was sure he would have heard of them. His family visited France often and were recognized there almost as much as they were in England. But Draco had never heard of the Renards or met anyone by the name.

And there was something strange about Henry. Draco almost had the feeling that he was at odds with himself at times. One moment he seemed to be a shameless flirt and the next time they met he casually insulted Draco like he wasn't worth noticing. And then today he seemed to compliment him without thinking about it and then proceeded to ignore Draco as much as he could with them being partners for this class period.

Draco hadn't interacted with Henry since the train, but now that they were working together today, he kept having odd moments of déjà vu as if he knew Henry in some way. The way he held a knife, or the facial expression he made when a particular ingredient wasn't cutting as easily as he wanted. Draco was sure they had never met, but there was something familiar about him.

It was going to make Draco crazy. As much as he didn't want to be, Draco knew he was going to be endlessly curious about Henry until he learned more about him. It was a mystery he was going to have to solve if he wanted any peace of mind.

As class came to an end, he watched as Renard calmly, but quickly, put all of his things back in his bag and immediately made for the door. It almost looked casual but Draco thought his movements looked strained. He watched as Zabini took off after him and Draco's interested instantly doubled. He couldn't help himself as he left the classroom and tried to follow them from a distance.

He wasn't quite sure where the two had gone by the time he caught up to the hallway he thought they might have disappeared down. He was going to give up when he heard what sounded suspiciously like a moan from a door that was ajar further down the hall. He silently stepped up to the door and peaked inside.

Blaise was pushed up against a dusty desk with his head tilted back and his eyes closed and Draco quickly realized that it _was_ a moan he had heard from Blaise. His stomach clenched and he felt a hot surge of heat quickly spread throughout his body when he recognized the back of Henry's head at Blaise's throat. He could only assume Henry was sucking on his neck, probably leaving a lovebite, since he couldn't see his face at all. As he saw Blaise's hand come up to card through Henry's hair, Draco abruptly spun around and walked as quickly as he could in the direction he had just come from before he could see anything else.

All Draco could hear was his thundering heart and he couldn't understand why he was feeling so jealous and betrayed. He didn't know Henry at all and he and Blaise were barely tolerant friends. But he was jealous, of Blaise, and felt betrayed, by Henry. Why was he so drawn to the mysterious newcomer?

He was better than this. These emotions were ridiculous and rationally he knew this. But hearts were notoriously irrational, even his well-trained Slytherin one, apparently.

He needed to push these thoughts away and concentrate on what mattered. As he absently rubbed his left forearm he reminded himself that he had far bigger problems now.

* * *

Harry pulled away from Blaise's neck to quickly lick the wounds he had just created there and watched them close before his eyes. After he was sure there was no trace at all of their recent activities, he stepped away from Blaise completely so he could look at his friend's face.

"What happened to already make you feel out of control?" Blaise asked after a moment.

Harry wanted to scowl at him for being so perceptive even if he was grateful that he had someone he could talk to.

"I was partnered with Malfoy today," Harry answered evasively. Apparently Blaise knew that that, alone, wasn't the problem and simply raised an eyebrow at Harry until he continued. Scowling for real now, he said, "I found my mate."

"And you are unhappy about this," Blaise stated. "Can I assume it is because you do not like this person, or are you worried about having such a fragile weakness?"

Harry was sure his face showed how stricken he felt with that second question. How had it not occurred to him earlier, especially after his Father's own warning? He knew he was a weakness for Tristan, but he could easily protect himself. But a human mate? That was a major weakness for Harry if any of his enemies found out. And right now, everyone was his enemy for the most part.

"Well, I was going to say that the person would not have been my first choice," Harry finally replied, "But you are right. This is a huge weakness I cannot afford to have right now."

Harry began to pace back and forth in his state of agitation and Blaise silently watched for a moment before voicing the suspicion he had as to the identity of this mate.

"May I also assume," he began, "from your first statement, that your mate is Malfoy?"

"Of course," Harry growled. "Who else would it possibly be? Of course the snarky bastard would be my mate."

"So I can't watch you exact revenge on him then, huh?" Blaise asked. Harry had a moment where his instincts made him want to attack Blaise for even suggesting it while his mind wanted him to smack himself for not keeping his vampiric instincts better suppressed.

"Why is this happening?!" Harry burst out, instead of answering Blaise's foolish question. "Father said that vampires do not have to accept their mates. We don't need them to survive and their rejection cannot harm us. Now, if this is the case, why do I feel myself being pulled with every passing moment to become closer to Malfoy? Why does the very thought of him being hurt make me furious? Why does it seem more ridiculous by the second that I would ever consider not accepting him? I was controlled my entire human life by others, am I doomed to be controlled my entire immortal life by my instincts? I thought I was going to be able to make my own choices from now on. I wasn't supposed to be controlled anymore!"

"Interesting," Blaise commented softly, to which Harry directed him a fierce glare. "Not that I am not sympathetic, but think about this for a moment. In the past, if a vampire did not want to accept their mate, do you think they would continue to stay in close proximity to that individual? No, they probably left. But you are near Malfoy all the time. It's one thing to be in the same town, or something. But you share a dorm room to sleep and attend the same classes. You eat meals at the same table and spend your free time in the same common room. Perhaps your mind did not want to accept him, but your continued close proximity is telling your vampiric instincts something else."

Harry pondered that for a moment before he nodded his head slowly. That made sense. If he had the choice, he would have gotten as far away from Malfoy as he could after realizing that he was his mate. He wouldn't want to be around that pull all the time when he knew he wasn't planning on acting on it. And now, it seemed his decision to stay at Hogwarts was as good as making the decision of accepting Draco as his mate.

"What am I going to do, Blaise?" Harry asked quietly after a few minutes of silence. "I have no reason to trust him. I have never been shown any hint of a person I could come to care about. I don't even know how to interact with him without completely losing it now!"

"I'm not sure what to tell you, my friend," Blaise said. "I can only suggest that maybe you should try studying with him, something very casual at first. Something neutral. Then maybe you can begin to learn something about him. But don't forget, Harry, that he is your mate because, ultimately, he would be the best match for your personality to make you happy. Which means there is a lot about Draco Malfoy that neither of us know."

"You're right, of course," Harry agreed. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it," he added petulantly, which only caused Blaise to laugh at him.

"Now you're just being childish," Blaise smiled. "We need to get moving if we want to get to our next class. Come on."

* * *

Harry was relieved that the first week of classes were over. He needed some time to himself, away from constantly interacting with humans. He felt like he needed to meditate, or go on a killing spree. He felt like he was losing who he was, or forgetting which personality was his. Was he the human Slytherin student or the violent and shameless vampire? Maybe he was both?

He wanted to get out of the castle, but he also thought it might be time to attempt to strike up a new friendship with Hermione. He still wasn't sure exactly what to do about her. She was clearly a loyal friend and had not used him for any reason while he was alive. And she was clearly devastated by his death. She barely spoke in classes anymore and only answered a question if specifically asked by a teacher. Harry hadn't seen her raise her hand in any of the classes they shared.

If he was honest with himself, he was worried about her but wasn't sure there was anything he could do to make her feel better. She was loyal to him, but what would she still feel that way if she saw what he had become? He was fairly certain that his vampirism would not bother her, at least not after she was given reliable facts that weren't in any books she might have read.

No, he wondered if she would still care about him or be relieved that he was alive after she realized that he was not going to be saving anyone and that his loyalty went to the vampires now instead of wizards. But maybe she would understand if he explained everything that had happened and his reasons.

He would cross that bridge if it ever came but for now he was going to be selfish and try to reconnect to an old friend. Even though it was the weekend, Harry knew he would find Hermione in the library. Especially now that she seemed to be avoiding the other Gryffindors, particularly Ron. Harry had been watching her for the past week and saw that Ron was being his typically insensitive self and treating her cruelly. What was really sad, though, was that Harry could tell Ron fancied Hermione.

An idea began forming in his head and Harry smirked gleefully as he made his way to the library. He wondered if Hermione would help him in his revenge.

Harry entered an almost deserted library a few minutes later. He turned toward the back of the library knowing Hermione was most likely sequestered there. He reached a far corner and paused behind the final stack of books when he caught sight of his old friend. It had only been a week since the start of term and she already looked as exhausted as she had in third year. Her eyes were bloodshot and her hair had reached new levels of bushiness.

Harry finally stepped out in front of Hermione slowly. She noticed him right away and, though she didn't immediately jump up and flee, she became instantly wary and watchful of his every move. She didn't say anything, just watched him so Harry decided he would try to break the ice first.

"May I join you?" he asked in the most innocent and unassuming voice he was capable of.

"If you wish," Hermione replied after a moment. Harry slowly stepped forward and slid into the chair across from her. He felt more than ever like the predator he really was as he watched the wariness in his former friend's eyes. And for once, he wasn't enjoying it. He felt like she would startle like an animal of prey if he made the slightest wrong move.

"Would you mind a study partner?" Harry asked.

"What do you really want?" Hermione asked instead, in typical blunt fashion. "You're new here, so I can't imagine you have any reason to torment me like the rest of your housemates but maybe your house has more loyalty to each other than the rest of us realized. So whose dirty work are you doing?"

"I don't do anyone's dirty work except my own," Harry replied with a smile. "And I'm sure you have noticed that the only member of my house that I tend to socialize with is Blaise. And correct me if I'm wrong, but you really have no history with him, yes?"

"Fine," Hermione acknowledged. "You still haven't answered me, though. What do you want from me?"

"Would it be impossible to believe that I may want to form a friendship?" Harry asked with a curious expression.

Hermione gave a harsh laugh before answering, "Yes, actually. I know exactly what Slytherins think of witches like me."

"They may look down on your for your blood status, but it doesn't mean they don't recognize your intelligence," Harry countered, "though you'll never hear them admit it. And you're right, I'm new here. But why should I let anyone tell me how to live?"

"Give me a real reason why you want to talk to me," Hermione pressed.

"It is obvious to me that you are highly intelligent and you can function above your emotions if you need to," Harry said. "That's something I can respect and it seems foolish to me to limit my friends to only those in my house if I see someone else who I think I could get along with. And you look like you could use a friend right now," Harry finished, almost embarrassed by expressing concern.

"Perhaps," Hermione responded with a small smile.

"And perhaps I should officially introduce myself," Harry said. "My name is Henry Renard."

"I'm Hermione Granger," Hermione held out her hand for a brief hand shake. Harry felt that she was still suspicious of him, but hopeful that he was genuine in his request for friendship when he touched her hand.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I have to ask, as your new friend, why do you let that Weasley fellow push you around?" Harry asked. "You don't need him; I can't imagine he has the same goals or priorities that you do."

"You would be right," Hermione agreed with a sad smile. "But I really would be alone if I cut him out completely." She paused a moment before saying shrewdly, "I'm sure you know that we were best friends with Harry Potter, or at least I was. Now that Harry's gone, I'm beginning to understand his frustration with fake friends. Many people suddenly want to talk to me and it's becoming apparent that they only want to hear about Harry's life, or the story behind the drama with Ron, or that they just want help with homework."

"You miss him," Harry stated, but he also just wanted to hear it confirmed by her.

"Of course I do," Hermione replied fiercely. Now that she had someone willing to listen to her, it seemed Hermione couldn't stop talking. "I'm not sure what is said about Harry in Slytherin, but he is the most amazing friend I could have ever asked for. Our personalities and interests were different, but he always accepted me. He never tried to change who I was, even if he did try to expose my adventurous side. I feel like he was caught between Ron and I a lot, but I wasn't going to be the one to make him choose. But Ron did. And I couldn't even be mad at Harry when he tried not to take a side. I could see that he didn't want to hurt either of the people he considered his best friend."

"He was lucky to have you then," Harry said, feeling happy that he had at least one true friend in the past and regretful that he hadn't been stronger for her then.

"I'd like to think so," Hermione agreed. "But I know he kept a lot of secrets, even from me. And especially from Ron. I wish he would have known that I would have accepted him, no matter what he was hiding. How could I not, when he accepted me?"

Well, that was almost a solid endorsement that Harry could tell Hermione that he was, in fact, alive, but he held back for now. He had some other things he wanted to discuss with her.

"Forgive me ahead of time for butting in where I don't belong," Harry began with a hopefully sheepish smile, "But if you were as loyal to Potter as you say you were, why do you allow Weasley to say such awful things about him, and treat you poorly? I would want to make him pay, or show everyone else that he's just trying to keep attention on himself now that his claim to fame has disappeared."

"Of course you would, that's a very Slytherin thing to do," Hermione replied, though she sounded thoughtful instead of insulting, which Harry took as a promising sign. "It's not something I would have thought about. I'd rather avoid a confrontation and leave it be. But you are right, I suppose, to an extent. I should be showing my loyalty to everyone, something a Gryffindor would do," Hermione smiled. "I might even be open to making him regret speaking so harshly about Harry, now that you've brought it up. Harry deserves to be remembered as the hero he was," she finished sadly.

"Perhaps we can discuss this at a later date," Harry said with a reassuring smile. "However, for now, I believe I asked if you wanted a study partner and all I've been doing is distracting you. So, milady, what are we studying today?"

Hermione laughed quietly before telling Harry that she was working on her Transfiguration essay. Harry wasn't sure what was going to happen between them, but for now, he was content to spend some time in the company of his old friend.

**A/N:** By the way, I haven't really decided for sure yet, but I don't think I'm going to have Draco attempting to complete a mission for Voldemort like he did in the books. Just FYI.


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing from the Harry Potter fandom and make no money writing this story.

**Warnings:** Language and violence

**A/N:** Something unplanned has happened… I have started incorporating more voices than just Harry and Draco. Hopefully it'll make things more interesting.

And for everyone just itching for the revenge on the Weasleys, you're going to have to wait a while. But I have something fun planned, or at least I think it is…

{Parseltongue}

**Chapter 7**

By the time Harry left the library, he was feeling violently restless as he had after his trip to Diagon Alley. He made his way quickly back to the dungeons to drop off his bag. When he entered his dorm room, Blaise was lounging on his bed flipping through a book. He sat up when he saw Harry burst through the door.

"What happened? Is something wrong?" Blaise asked, assuming something had happened while Harry had been out.

"Nothing happened," Harry reassured as he threw his bag down next to his trunk. "I'm just feeling restless."

When Harry spoke, Blaise could see that his fangs had descended just the slightest bit and he quickly looked back at his friend's eyes to see the slight rim of red he was now expecting.

"You mean, you just feel the need to rip something apart," Blaise said sarcastically. Harry just flashed his friend a wicked smile before leaving again.

He made it to the front doors without encountering anyone and stepped out into the afternoon sun. With barely a glance around to see who was close by, Harry made a beeline toward the Forbidden Forest in the hopes that he could release some of his tension. As Harry entered the forest, another figure waited a few moments before following after him.

Under the shadow of the forest canopy, Harry let his vampire out completely and immediately felt some tension drain out of his being. He didn't think it would be a good idea to leave the Hogwarts grounds if he could help it. He wasn't worried about the wards holding him in but he wasn't entirely sure that Dumbledore wouldn't be somehow alerted if he slipped out. Though the possibility was unlikely, Harry didn't want to take any chances for now.

Deciding he wanted to let his vampire instincts have complete control, Harry began to move deeper into the forest slinking from shadow to shadow, avoiding any rays of sun at all costs. With each step he took, he was mindful of every stick that might snap underneath his feet. Every rustle in the underbrush was potential prey.

He wasn't really planning on actually hunting anything, but he knew he had to let his more violent side take over for a little while. He eventually came to a clearing and hesitated a moment before deciding that releasing some of his magic and exercising some of the violence out of his system would be beneficial.

He quickly constructed some wards of his own to contain the large burst of magic he was about to expel. He paused for a moment before letting loose with a feral smile.

* * *

Theodore Nott had been suspicious of Henry Renard since the moment he had heard his name. He had only heard the name Renard mentioned once before when his mother told him one of those ghost stories that parents use to keep their children well-behaved.

But unlike muggle stories, wizard children knew that many of the demons their mother's warned them against were real.

The story had been about the ancient Vampire Renard. As a human, he had been a part of a very powerful French family. Though they were very influential and held much power, another family started rising in power that they were not friendly with.

It wasn't long before the two families were at war. Unluckily for the Renards, the rival family gained the upper hand and slaughtered them all cruelly. He had watched the women of his family being raped and the men being tortured to death. He, himself, had been left for dead.

And he almost was.

But a stranger came and turned him into a vampire just before it was too late. When his transformation was completed, he came back as a blood-thirsty monster craving only revenge on the family that had destroyed his. He had gloried in their agony and blood.

Once the killers of his family were all dead, the Vampire Renard disappeared into history. But mother's warned their children to be nice to their neighbors and obey their mothers or something similar could happen to them.

While Theo had never really believed in such a creature as Renard, something about Henry set him on edge. The old story had wormed its way into his mind the moment he heard his name and now he couldn't shake the feeling he had.

Theo had not attempted to follow Henry, or learn more about him in the past week, but the opportunity presented itself suddenly when he saw Renard making his way across the grounds in the direction of the forest. Too curious for his own good, Theo knew he would regret it if he didn't take this perfect opportunity to learn _something_ about the mysterious new boy that everyone in Slytherin was curious about.

He detached himself from the shady area he had been resting in and followed Henry from what he hoped was a safe distance if his suspicions were correct. Before following him into the forest, Theo quickly cast a Silencing Charm on his feet in the hopes that it would prevent Henry from knowing he was being followed.

It was always surprising to Theo how much darker the forest was no matter what time of the day you entered it. He saw a slight movement in the shadows further ahead and headed toward it, hoping it was Henry.

As he drew closer to the moving figure, he began to doubt that it was a person he was following and not some animal. The figure seemed to be almost flowing between shadows with a frightening amount of stealth and agility. He saw a marginally brighter area ahead and figured he was approaching a clearing.

Suddenly, the figure straightened up on the edge of the clearing and he recognized Henry clearly. But there was something different about him, something dark and dangerous. It was hard to explain, exactly, just from looking at the back of his head, but the hair on his arms had risen as if he knew he was in danger and being hunted.

He felt a tingle of powerful magic across his skin and saw that Henry had stepped into the clearing. He stepped closer making sure to stay concealed behind the trees. He crept as close as he could, assuming the tingle of magic he had just felt was the raising of wards. As he stepped up toward the edge of the clearing, he got his first good look of Henry.

The boy's eyes were glowing a ruby red and he had fangs protruding past his bottom lip. His skin was unnaturally smooth and pale and seemed almost luminescent. He was almost painfully gorgeous. Theo could admit that Henry had been extremely attractive before, but now it looked almost unnatural.

And unfortunately, Theo was mildly terrified to realize that his suspicions had just been confirmed.

As Theo stood frozen between terror and fascination, a number of humanoid dummies suddenly appeared around the clearing at irregular intervals. He glanced quickly toward Henry to see that he wasn't holding a wand. He had used wandless magic to create all the dummies in the clearing. Theo didn't know of anyone who could accomplish such complex magic without a wand, except maybe the Dark Lord or Dumbledore, and Theo wasn't even sure they could create so much with just a thought.

Before Theo could finish processing the vast amount of power Henry obviously held, the vampire in question darted across the clearing and slashed his arm through one of the dummies. Disturbingly realistic blood flew in all directions as the dummy was split in half. Immediately Henry punched through another one directly behind him to the appearance of more blood.

Very quickly, Henry and the rest of the clearing were covered in splashes of blood while the dummies reconstructed themselves. The vampire's face was fixed in a snarl as he viciously ripped apart every dummy while they rebuilt themselves in his wake.

A moment later, Theo watched as Henry threw out his arms to both sides and all the dummies were obliterated with the subsequent blast of raw magic that pulsed out of him. Theo felt a mild throb of magic through his body as the wards strained to contain the amount of power just released. It was like nothing he had ever experienced before. He couldn't remember ever feeling an aura of magic around the Dark Lord like the one he was feeling right now.

The pulse of magic took him by surprise and Theo slipped a little against the tree he was leaning on just as a small gust of wind came from behind him to add to the slight crack of bark he had just broken off. In a flash, Theo found himself pinned against the tree by a feral vampire he had no hope of fighting off.

* * *

Harry heard a snapping of bark in the trees at the same time that he got a scent of human flesh and blood. Before he could remember that he was currently on the grounds of a school, Harry ran toward the noise and pinned the human against the tree with the intention of draining him dry.

Right as he was going to lean forward, he recognized the face of Theodore Nott and was able to recall that he was supposed to be playing the part of a human teenager. With a strength of will he had not previously been aware that he possessed, Harry forced his vampire nature into the back of his mind in the hopes he could speak rationally with his housemate.

No one was supposed to know he was a vampire. He couldn't have anyone know without some reassurance that they couldn't give away his secret.

"Were you following me?" Harry growled, only mildly in control of his instincts.

"Yes, I'm s-sorry. P-please, don't k-kill me! I'll keep your secret, anything you want!" Nott stuttered.

"Why should I give you a chance? What could you possibly offer that could benefit me?" Harry asked mockingly.

"Whatever you're here for, I'll help you. I swear, Renard, I can help. No one ever notices me, I'm invisible. I can help," Nott said desperately.

"And why do you think I'm up to something that would require spying and subterfuge?" Harry asked curiously with his head tilted slightly.

"Why else would a vampire be hiding at Hogwarts as a student?" Nott asked, momentarily losing his fear in the face of what he thought was an obvious question.

Harry stepped back slightly and gave Nott a good look. It was true that Harry hadn't given much thought to the boy since his first night back at Hogwarts and he could barely remember him at all from when he was alive. And he had to give him credit for knowing that Harry was at Hogwarts for a reason other than school.

"So you would keep my secrets?" Harry drawled with a dangerous smirk. He grabbed Nott's left arm roughly and pinned it to the tree above his head before pulling down the sleeve. As he had expected, the Dark Mark stood out harshly against his skin. "You would swear your loyalty to me above all others?"

"Yes," Nott said without hesitation, even after glancing at the damning mark on his arm. "I will, you are someone worth following."

Harry gave a harsh laugh before stepping back again, "I'm worth following? You don't know anything about me! You have no idea who I was, why I'm here, or what I'm after."

"Then tell me," Nott encouraged. "Do whatever you have to do in order to feel you can tell me. But I know you are someone worth following."

Harry was beginning to wonder if Nott was actually a fool or if he did just have extraordinary instincts. Not that Harry needed or wanted followers, but if Nott was simply looking to stay alive, he would be best off if he was out of Harry's way and on his side.

"Fine," Harry said, "if you are willing to make a vampiric version of an Unbreakable Vow on it, I'll tell you a few secrets."

Nott agreed with a slight bit of confusion on his face. Harry smiled before reminding Nott that a normal Unbreakable Vow required a binder in addition to the two taking the vow, but that as a vampire he had his own version of the Vow that he could implement.

"Do you, Theodore Nott, vow to give your loyalty to me, Henry Renard, formerly known as Harry Potter, and keep my secrets," Harry began. He was pleased to see Nott's eyes widen comically when Harry revealed his previous identity.

"I do," Nott said slowly.

"And do you promise to help me in my goal to exact revenge on all those who wronged me while I was alive, no matter what?" Harry continued.

"I do," Theodore agreed again.

"And do you promise to keep the secrets of those closest to me if or when they are revealed to you?" Harry said.

"I do."

"Very good," Harry smiled, reassured that he could now trust Nott. "Now I imagine you may have some questions for me."

"So, Harry Potter, huh?" Nott said after a moment. "Not some ancient Vampire Renard that children are threatened with by their parents for misbehaving. Who are you here for revenge on, all Slytherins and Death Eaters?"

"Of course," Harry said, "along with Dumbledore, most of the Light side and maybe even the Ministry if I'm feeling particularly ambitious. So," Harry smirked, "are you really up for the challenge, Nott?"

"I think it sounds like fun," Nott agreed with his own smirk, "the perfect pastime for an antsy Slytherin, don't you think?"

"Definitely," Harry agreed. After a moment of thought, he added, "Are wizarding children really warned about an ancient vampire named Renard?" Harry asked, trying not to laugh.

"Yeah, we are," Theo said a bit warily.

Harry burst out laughing, sincerely looking forward to making fun of his Father about the whole thing next time he saw him.

* * *

Harry and Nott headed back to the castle after the quick use of a few Cleaning Charms to erase the traces of blood that had found their way onto both of them. Nott had insisted that if they were going to work together, and be seen together, then Harry should call him Theo. In return, Theo was allowed to call Harry by his human name in private but was warned about forgetting that his name was now Henry in public.

The boys entered the castle and headed toward the dungeons. Before they had taken more than a few steps, the faint sound of familiar arguing voices reached Harry's sensitive hearing. He told Theo to go on to the dungeons without him before heading up the first flight of stairs and down a side hallway before concealing himself in shadows to listen to the argument within.

"What were you thinking, Hermione?" Ron demanded. "You know better than to trust one of them."

"I don't really see how this is any of your business, Ronald," Hermione said furiously. "You can't tell me who I can be friends with."

"I'm supposed to be your best friend, now," Ron insisted, "so why would you become friends with someone I'll hate."

"You don't know that!" Hermione yelled. "You don't know anything about Henry. And why are you acting like we have to have all the same friends? Go make some of your own. Why are you telling me what to do?"

"I'm not telling you what to do," Ron insisted, "but you're being an idiot. You can't possibly believe that Slytherin isn't going to betray you the moment it seems like a good idea to him," Ron paused before adding jealously, "You're always moping around about Harry and how he was your best friend ever, but you're the one betraying him now by making friends with the enemy. He would be disgusted with you."

"How dare you," Hermione hissed quietly. "How dare you presume that you know how Harry would have reacted to my friendship with Henry? I want you to leave me alone Ron, just leave me alone."

"Whatever," Ron said scathingly, "you'll be back as soon as you realize Renard is no good and you have no other friends to talk to."

The classroom door suddenly burst open to reveal a bright red and furious Ron Weasley who immediately strode off in the direction of Gryffindor Tower. Harry waited a moment, debating whether murdering Ron Weasley would be more satisfying than destroying his life, before he stepped cautiously up to the open door beyond which he could hear Hermione crying softly.

"Hermione?" he called softly as he tapped the door lightly to get her attention. She spun around, immediately on the defensive before seeing that it was Henry and relaxing her stance a bit. She quickly tried to brush the tears off of her face and calm down.

"Hello, Henry, can I help you?" she said in an almost normal voice. Harry quickly stepped over to her and brushed the tears from her face without thinking. Her startled look reminded him that he had supposedly only met her that morning.

"I just heard you arguing with Weasley and wanted to make sure you were alright," Harry said.

"So, in other words, you heard us fighting about you," Hermione said with a sound between a laugh and a sob. Unable to smother his vampire instinct to touch and comfort so soon after letting it out to play, Harry pulled his old friend into his arms for a hug.

"I'm sorry for causing you trouble," Harry murmured. "Would you prefer it if I left you alone, then?"

Eventually Hermione hugged him back after relaxing and replied, "No, no I don't want that. You may really be my only friend now. I can't let Ron boss me around anymore. I can't even remember if we ever had a real friendship once. I miss Harry so much," she finished in barely a whisper.

Harry was feeling extremely torn. He had only just reconnected with Hermione that morning, and hadn't been sure if he would ever be able to reveal that he was alive. But the part of him that missed Hermione was screaming at him to say something now and trust his friend. If he was ever going to do it, now seemed like the best time otherwise he was afraid she would look back and resent him for not trusting her the way she had put her faith in him in the past.

"Hermione," Harry said slowly, "may I ask you a personal question about your friendship with Harry?"

"I suppose, but I might not answer," she said warily.

"You said before that you would have accepted Harry, no matter what; any of his secrets that you were sure he was hiding," Harry said. Hermione nodded. "Well, did you really mean that? If he had wanted to join the Dark Lord, would you have stood by him? Or if he wanted to run away from the war and not be everyone's savior, would you have supported him?"

"That's hard to answer when I'm not actually in the situation," Hermione said slowly. "If he had decided to side with the Dark Lord, I would have to ask him why. I'm a muggleborn, would he have been against me then? And if he ran away from the war, again, I would want to know the reasons why. Perhaps I would be disappointed in the latter situation, and definitely scared for my life at the prospect of the war never ending and my life always being in danger; but I would hear Harry's reasons before making any judgments and do whatever I could to keep my friend."

It wasn't a definite, unconditional yes, but it was good enough. She would hear him out. Assuming he could convince her that this wasn't some sick Slytherin joke.

Harry pulled his wand out and aimed it at the door slowly, wanting to make sure Hermione knew he wasn't threatening in any way. He quickly locked and warded the door against listening with some of the strongest spells he knew before pocketing his wand once again. He leaned against the nearest desk and faced Hermione, unconsciously crossing his arms across his chest protectively.

"Hermione, I'm going to tell you something that I don't think you will believe, but I ask that you stay calm and hear me out," Harry said, with a hint of pleading in his otherwise calm voice. "And before I even start talking, I swear this is not a prank."

Hermione was eying him very warily now, completely on the defensive, and Harry hoped with everything he had that he didn't regret this decision.

"This summer, in July, I had a very serious… accident. Life-altering, you might say," Harry began. "When I woke up, I was a different person. Everything about me from my appearance to my food preferences had changed. I had actually been declared dead. And I was."

Hermione looked suspicious now, like she had an idea of where this might go and was already assuming a cruel prank was in progress.

"I'm not sure how to say this to you," Harry floundered, uncharacteristic of him since his change, "but I guess I'll just come out and say it. I know you aren't going to believe me, but before you try to hex me, give me a chance to explain, please," Harry searched Hermione's face, hoping to see agreement before finishing with, "Harry Potter died, but he didn't stay dead. I'm right here, Hermione."

Dead silence met his announcement before his friend's eyes began to fill with tears, but they weren't happy ones. She thought he was lying and they were tears of betrayal.

"Please believe me, ask me anything you want that only Harry would know," Harry pleaded before she could speak. "Please, Hermione, give me a chance. Ask anything. I wouldn't lie to you."

"Fine," Hermione said, her voice rather choked, "but if this is a joke, so help me, I will do everything in my power to get back at you, even if it kills me."

Harry nodded and then there was silence for a few moments while Hermione thought of what questions she could ask him.

"What form does your Patronus take and why?" Hermione asked.

"It takes the shape of a stag because my father' animagus form was that of a stag," Harry replied, knowing that question wasn't going to be anywhere near enough proof.

"What mission did you and I go on at the end of third year?" she asked next.

"We used a Time Turner, that you had been using all year to attend classes, to go back and save Buckbeak and Sirius Black," Harry said immediately and saw a small amount of hope enter Hermione's eyes.

"How did we become friends?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Ron had been an ass, and hurt your feelings," Harry gave Hermione a pointed look before continuing, "so you had hidden in the girls bathroom, crying. A troll had been let into the castle and I knew you didn't know about it. I convinced Ron that we had to go and warn you. Instead, we ended up saving you by dropping the troll's own club on its head with a Wingardium Leviosa. And you took the blame for us breaking the rules," Harry finished with a fond smile.

Tears were starting to escape Hermione's eyes, but she was apparently determined to ask a few more questions.

"What potion did we brew in second year and what went wrong?" she asked as quickly as she could with a strained voice.

"We brewed Polyjuice, to interrogate Malfoy about the Chamber of Secrets," Harry answered. "Ron and I went as Crabbe and Goyle. You were supposed to go as Millicent Bulstrode, but you used a cat hair by accident instead."

A sob escaped Hermione before she threw herself into Harry's arms and Harry held onto her tightly as she cried her heart out. They stood like that for a few moments until Hermione started to calm down. As she calmed down, Harry felt anger slowly starting to take its place. Finally, she stepped back and landed a smack across his face. For a moment, Harry could only stare at her in shock before she started yelling.

"How could you not tell me sooner, Harry!" she demanded shrilly. "How could you let me think you were dead, after everything we've been through? I felt like my heart had been stomped on when I thought you were gone. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, I just wanted to cry all the time. And now I see you're alive and you've been at school for a week and only just talked to me today?" She paused before adding, "And i_how_/i are you here, if you're dead?"

"I'm sorry, Hermione," Harry said, feeling truly remorseful for the first time since his change. "I wasn't sure if I could trust you after everything else that I found out about my life after I died, and once I realized I could trust you, I was too afraid to tell you and have you turn on me anyway. Even though you never had in the past, I was still afraid you might. And to answer why I'm still 'alive'-," Harry trailed off for a moment before looking directly at Hermione. He let his fangs descend and he knew his eyes were melting from green to red while his skin became unnaturally perfect, "Well, the answer is that I died, and came back as a vampire."

"But how-," Hermione began.

"Everything you've read about vampires, is probably wrong," Harry cut her off, letting his appearance become human once more. "We've taken great steps to ensure that wizards know very little truth about us."

"The books about vampires aren't accurate?" Hermione asked in disbelief, clearly offended that the knowledge she had learned was wrong. "And what do you mean, after everything else you learned after you died?"

Harry laughed at Hermione's indignation before beginning the tedious process of informing her about the betrayals of the Light side. He was overjoyed to see her genuine anger at the wrongs that had occurred to him in life and Harry was infinitely thankful that he had become such good friends with Hermione Granger in first year.

"I can't believe the Weasleys," Hermione said in a scary-calm voice. "Every other wrong is relatively understandable. But the Weasleys have no excuse, except being cheap, ttention hungry bastards."

"Hermione!" Harry said with a smile, not in the least offended by her choice of words, but just surprised that she was the one using them.

"What?" she asked defensively. "It's true, they deserve much worse." She crossed her arms in a stubborn gesture, as if Harry might actually reprimand her choice of words. Harry just shook his head fondly before she added quietly, as if almost afraid to ask, "What are you going to do about Ron?"

"Humiliate him as much as possible," Harry shrugged. "Ruin him utterly. Make sure he knows just how worthless he truly is."

"I want to help," Hermione said, with a disturbing gleam in her eye. "How can I help?"

"Oh, how I hoped you would say that," Harry smiled wickedly.

* * *

When Harry finally got back to the Slytherin common room, it was close to curfew. He had intended to go straight up to his room but noticed Draco sitting by the fire alone. After a moment of indecision, Harry decided it was time to at least attempt to speak to his potential mate once again. He had been avoiding Draco since their Potions class, out of uncharacteristic fear rather than his previous lack of desire for a mate.

If his mate had been a vampire, it would have been only too easy to make this whole mate thing work. But Harry had been hopeless with dating as a human. He had no reason to believe that he would be any better now that he didn't even have similar instincts when it came to romance anymore.

Why couldn't he have had some species confused human as a mate, like Blaise?

As he got closer to Draco, he realized that his mate was upset. Looking at him though, it would have been impossible to tell; only his scent gave him away to Harry.

Harry sat down in a chair across from Draco and waited until the other boy glanced in his direction before speaking, "Are you alright?"

A look of surprise flitted across his mate's face before a guarded look replaced it and he said, "What makes you think I wouldn't be?"

"I can just tell that something is troubling you," Harry said with a small smile. "I don't expect you to tell me what it is, but I was hoping you would tell me if you would be okay."

"Yes, I will be fine," Draco said after a moment, clearly surprised by Harry's concern and willingness not to pry. "At least, I hope so," Harry heard Draco whisper to himself with barely any lip movement.

"Would you like to talk?" Harry asked. "About anything, to take your mind off what's troubling you," he added before Draco could automatically deny him.

"Sure," Draco said after a moment, "I think I would like that."

A warm feeling filled Harry's body as he gave Draco a heart-felt smile before he could stop himself and began to get to know the boy he thought he had all figured out just a few short months ago.

**A/N: **Don't know the next time I will be updating, working twice as many hours at work the next two weeks and Thanksgiving is getting close. I just wanted to get something else out before I got too crazy busy. I'll try my best not to make you wait too long. At least I have more ideas for the next chapter than I know what to do with so hopefully it won't take too long to write.


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I own no part of the Harry Potter fandom and make no money writing this.

**Warnings:** Language, blood drinking, some sex…

**A/N:** Sorry for the wait. Ten day work week has been finished! For those of you celebrating Thanksgiving, I hope you had a great holiday! And those who didn't, then I hope you enjoy the new chapter.

**Chapter 8**

Draco's mind was filled with dark thoughts even as his sight was filled with the brightness of the common room flames. He should stop worrying about his family's predicament. There was nothing he could do to lessen the damage done but he couldn't help feeling as though a weight was on his shoulders. He was sure the children of other followers of the Dark Lord were keeping an eye on him, but not for his leadership anymore.

He was little better than a toy for amusement to them, he knew. Oh, none of them had taken advantage of his severe drop in standing, but they could at any moment. He had no doubt they would eventually.

His hands tightened for a moment before he forced himself to relax. He was so angry at his father; for following a madman and leaving his son no other choice than to do the same.

Draco flexed his left arm unconsciously. He didn't want to be a Death Eater.

It had been so easy as a child to adore his father and treat his every word as undeniable law. He had seemed so confident and sure of his choices and beliefs. How could Draco not believe in his father as well? The purebloods had a mission, to purify the Wizarding World of muggleborns and all other muggle influence. Wizards were superior and should be treated as such. They shouldn't have to hide in the shadows like some filthy secret.

But then Draco had been exposed to the other Death Eaters and saw his father in a role other than the commanding Malfoy Lord. And what he saw could only be described as madness. He felt like he had been the only sane person in an institution for the mentally unstable. He saw a healthy dose of fear in some but in most he just saw the light of fanatic zeal.

And he was a part of it now. His mind despaired at his predicament.

The opening of the portrait hole jolted him from his thoughts. He barely had to look to know that Henry Renard had just strode into the room. He just _knew_. It was eerie.

Draco was slightly disturbed by how much he seemed to be drawn to Henry. He barely knew the boy, and yet he always felt a tingle of excitement run through his body every time he saw him. Sometimes he almost felt like something was clenching his heart when he focused on the brunette. He saw Henry pause for barely a moment before altering his course toward Draco. Draco felt his heart give a painful thump that seemed to vibrate throughout his whole body.

Henry sat across from him in front of the fire. Draco momentarily considered ignoring him, unsettled by the strength of his unexpected feelings, but eventually decided to acknowledge the other boy's presence. He didn't want the other boy to think he was uncomfortable around him.

"Are you alright?" Henry asked, with a look of such genuine concern in his eyes, that Draco's breath caught and his heart beat a little harder than before.

But then an image of Henry and Blaise together in that classroom, together, popped into his head and he felt himself pull back emotionally from the other boy. He couldn't imagine that Blaise's… _boyfriend_ would care about him in any way when it was obvious that he and Blaise were barely friends. It hurt some part of him that he didn't understand.

"What makes you think I wouldn't be?" He finally asked, trying to keep all warmth out of his voice.

"I can just tell that something is troubling you," Henry said with a small smile, seemingly oblivious to Draco's warienss. "I don't expect you to tell me what it is, but I was hoping you would tell me if you would be okay."

"Yes, I will be fine," Draco said after a moment, hoping his face didn't show just how dumbfounded he was by the other boy's words. It was probably one of the kindest and most supportive things anyone had ever said to him. "At least, I hope so," he added under his breath after a moment, thinking of his earlier thoughts of the Dark Lord.

"Would you like to talk?" Harry asked. Before Draco could say the denial that was immediately on the tip of his tongue, he added, "About anything, to take your mind off what's troubling you."

"Sure," Draco said after a moment, "I think I would like that." And he would. He suddenly wanted to know as much as he could about the gorgeous boy in front of him.

* * *

"May I ask you something?" Draco said with a curious tilt of his head. Harry nodded, the smile still just hovering on his lips. He was talking to his mate; he was close enough to touch!

"If you are from France, why do you not have an accent?" Draco asked slowly, as if not sure the question would be offensive. There were many ways Harry could answer this question, but the thought of lying to his mate was abhorrent, now that he seemed to be pursuing him, so he told the truth.

"Tristan Renard has not always been my father," Harry began. "He only recently adopted me. I was forced to be raised my muggles previously," Harry said cautiously, intently searching Draco's face and hoping he wouldn't connect his past to Harry Potter. He didn't see any suspicion, just a bit of incredulity at the knowledge of his upbringing. "I know," Harry said, with a look of disgust on his face he didn't have to fake. "Definitely not an upbringing I would recommend, but it turned out okay for me in the end." He was momentarily worried that Draco would ask of his surname before he became a Renard, but he didn't and Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

"I am sorry that you had to endure that for so long," Draco responded, and Harry was surprised to realize that he was sincere in his regret. "I am glad that you have fully rejoined our world. Though I have not heard of the Renards before."

He didn't outright ask about them, but the question was implied. Harry gave a mysterious smile and said, "You wouldn't have, we keep to ourselves in the shadows. Unlike the Malfoys, who seem to thrive in the spotlight." He wasn't giving more information about his family right now, and he hoped his mate let the subject drop without a fight. He was surprised by the darkening of the other boy's expression at the subtle mention of his family but before he could question him, Draco spoke.

"Are you enjoying Hogwarts?" he said, clearly in an attempt to steer the conversation away from his family. Harry was momentarily tempted to check for Polyjuice Potion. Wasn't this the boy who lorded his father's greatness over others at every opportunity? Wasn't he the boy to brag of his father's worth before thinking of his own? Harry wanted to dig deeper into this change in attitude but held himself back for now. He didn't know his mate well enough yet.

"Yes, I am," Harry finally answered. "The old magic in a structure such as this one is a wonderful thing to be surrounded by, don't you think?"

"Yes," Draco responded quietly, "it gives the comfort of home."

"Exactly," Harry agreed, happy to have found someone else who knew how he felt.

"More of a home than my own, actually," Draco admitted quietly, almost as if he hadn't meant to say anything at all. Harry came to the realization that maybe Draco's home life wasn't as wonderful as Harry had always assumed.

Momentarily feeling a deep connection to his mate and unable to prevent himself from reaching out to him. He gently caressed the back of his hand before pulling away and forcing himself back under control. His empathy had picked up Draco's feelings of excitement and confusion in the brief touch. Perhaps he should call it a night before he lost control and did something embarrassing.

Draco's cheeks were slightly flushed from the contact, but the dark confusion Harry had felt was showing in his eyes, though his mate didn't say anything.

"I'm glad we had a chance to speak," Harry said, hoping he sounded casual. "I would love to speak with you more, but it is already rather late and you look about as tired as I feel. Perhaps we could study together in the future, as our classes are all the same?"

"Of course," Draco responded, his eyes darted nervously to the side for a moment before coming back to Harry. Harry smiled at Draco's sudden show of nerves and felt a leaping sensation in his heart at the tentative smile he was given in return.

* * *

Hermione watched Ron speculatively from her seat in the Gryffindor common room while he socialized loudly with their housemates. She couldn't see any of the boy she thought she had been friends with anymore. She wondered if he had ever existed. All she could see now was a bitter and jealous child throwing a tantrum.

She wondered where he had learned to do that. It's not as if his parents had been able to give him whatever he wanted if he had a fit. She was repulsed by the personality she saw now. It made it that much easier to believe that she could help Harry in his revenge even if she was generally a passive individual.

Her mind went back to part of the conversation she had had with him.

"_How cruel do you think you can be, Hermione?" Harry asked seriously. "I don't want you to agree to do something that makes you uncomfortable."_

"_What did you have in mind, Harry?" Hermione asked. She was, in truth, slightly nervous. If she was going to be cruel, it was most likely going to be an in-the-heat-of-the-moment kind of thing. Not premeditated. But as all the cruel things Ron had said recently resurfaced in her mind, her resolve hardened even more._

_She could do this._

"_Well, I'm sure you've noticed Ron is head over heels for you," Harry began, but then saw the look of surprise on her face. "Oh come on, Hermione," Harry said with a laugh, "it's so obvious it's almost painful to watch."_

"_I'll take your word for it," Hermione said, not fully convinced, "but what does this have to do with revenge."_

"_You could date him," Harry said simply, "and proceed to make him feel inferior at every possible moment. Subtle things. Like comparing how he lacks in something compared to someone else. Ideally, you would compare him to Harry Potter as much as possible and show how he always falls short. Casually flirt with other guys, like some sneaky Slytherins," Harry gave her a wink, and she giggled a bit. "Mostly it would be up to you how to go about it, but I think you get the gist of what I'm saying. You're intelligent, and he's not. I have my own revenge planned for him but the emotional blows would be best coming from you, since I have to remain unknown."_

Now the question was, was she bold enough to carry out such a plan?

As she heard Ron make yet another dismissive comment about Harry, all doubt left her. She slowly stood up and fixed an overly-warm smile on her face as she approached him. He saw her out of the corner of his eye and turned toward her. For the first time, she noticed the signs of his attraction and an unfamiliar feeling of power made itself known to her. She could really make him regret everything he had said, every hurt he had inflicted upon her.

_Oh, yes, I can do this, _she thought.

* * *

The second week of school passed easily enough. Harry found himself partnered with Draco in Potions once again. His mate was truly in his element in that class and Harry enjoyed watching him work. Every once in a while he made a move as if he were going to add the wrong ingredient and Draco would always catch his hand, even when Harry thought he wasn't paying attention. It was like he could feel every step of their potion and what was going on around it.

In the past, he had assumed Snape had favored Draco and that was the cause of his good grades. But when the blonde wasn't trying to sabotage some poor Gryffindor's potion, it became very obvious that he had a gift in the subject.

Harry noted that Hermione had insinuated herself into Ron's life as his girlfriend. The look of blissful happiness on the fool's face, while grating, was also wonderful, because it meant it would destroy him even more when Hermione started showing what she really thought of him before leaving him. Harry couldn't wait for the finale of their relationship.

The beginning of his third week brought an exciting opportunity during breakfast.

Harry was sitting at the Slytherin table, absently sipping at his tea while staring off into space and systematically picking his toast apart into little pieces. Blaise left him alone, recognizing that Harry wanted to just retreat into his head for a bit before starting another week of classes.

The familiar noise of the morning post brought Harry back to himself only to discover a school owl waiting for him to relieve it of its burden. He reached out and took the scroll of parchment before offering the owl a bit of bacon in thanks. With a delighted hoot, the food was accepted before the owl flew off.

Harry turned back to the scroll in his hands. It had been sent with a school owl, and there was only one person he could think of who would be writing him.

_Dear Mr. Renard,_

_I hope you have been settling in nicely here at Hogwarts over the last two weeks. If you would be so kind, I would like to speak with you after classes this day._

_Just tell the gargoyle that you fancy blood lollies. I look forward to speaking with you._

_Sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

_Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

Harry raised his eyebrow for a moment at the mention of the password. Blood lollies? How coincidental. And rather amusing considering the Headmaster's clue was actually an accurate statement. Harry glanced out of the corner of his eye toward to the staff table, but the Headmaster wasn't present. He was sure this meeting was completely innocent; just a Headmaster checking up on a new transfer student. But it gave Harry a chance for investigating.

He left the Great Hall a bit early, with the excuse of using the bathroom before class, so he could talk to Ciaran.

{Ciaran?} Harry hissed quietly as he walked down the hall.

{Yes?} Ciarain responded.

{Our first chance to spy on the Headmaster has arrived. Are you ready?} Harry asked.

{Of course} Ciaran said, soundly suddenly much more awake. {Will it be today?}

{Yes it will} Harry nodded subtly as he spoke. {The Headmaster has called me to his office today after classes. I can drop you off while we are up there instead of trying to find a way for you to sneak in alone. This also means I will be putting some of my plans into action while you are there in the hopes they will provoke some confession out of the man. But you may have to stay up there for two weeks. Will that cause you too much strain?}

{I would like a chance to hunt today, if that may be the case} Ciaran said. {I will be fine for two weeks if I feed today before we meet your Headmaster. How will I know when your other plans have been carried out?}

{Oh, I'm fairly sure it will be obvious} Harry said with a smile. {I have to wait until our Hogsmeade weekend at the end of September, and then that Monday is when you should learn something valuable, if you are ever going to. Will you be able to find your way back to me?}

{I will, Master, have no fear} Ciaran assured.

Harry set off toward Potions with a slight spring in his step at the prospect of beginning his plans.

* * *

Hermione had a love/hate relationship with Potions. She loved it because it was so logical and precise. She hated it because Professor Snape taught it and she wasn't likely to ever receive encouragement in her studies from the man. She studied him for a moment, trying to make herself believe that he was really Harry's father. It was too weird. And rather sad, as well.

It wasn't nearly as hard being Ron's girlfriend as she feared it would be, though maybe that was because she knew it wasn't permanent or even real, at least on her part. The past week she had been playing the perfect girlfriend and she was already sick of it. It was time to start slipping in subtle insults. She doubted Ron would realize that he was being insulted, but she hoped it would hit him at least subconsciously.

She glanced at the ingredients she would need, even though she already knew them by heart, before leaning forward slightly to the table that Neville and Ron were sharing in front of her.

"Neville," Hermione hissed quietly, hoping the movement of students returning to their seats would cover up the sound of her voice.

"What?" Neville said out of the corner of his mouth, keeping his terrified gaze on Professor Snape.

"I was wondering if you knew why this potion calls for fluxweed instead of moongrass?" Hermione asked innocently, noticing that Ron was listening with a slightly stunned look on his face. Hermione, of course, knew the answer, but she was hoping to accomplish two things with this conversation.

"Why would you ask Neville?" Ron demanded, almost too loudly.

"Neville is a genius when it comes to Herbology," Hermione responded matter-of-factly, "and who else should I ask? You never know the answers for anything," she finished dismissively before looking expectantly toward Neville and ignoring Ron.

The shy Gryffindor's face was flushed with pleasure from the compliment while Hermione saw Ron's face flush with anger out of the corner of her eye. Good, maybe he did understand that she just placed Neville's worth and intelligence above Ron's.

"Well, the fluxweed only appears to contain the energy of the moon whereas moongrass actually contains energy similar to that of the moon. The moon energy is an important part of this healing potion because it causes the body to feel as though it has had a good night's rest after it is drunk," Neville responded quickly, and confidently, which wasn't a state-of-mind Hermione got to see very often in him.

"Thanks, Neville," Hermione replied with a big smile before turning back to her potion.

"How did Neville know something you didn't, Hermione?" Ron whispered.

"Neville's very gifted with Herbology, I suspect there are many things he knows that I don't," Hermione said without even looking at Ron.

"You have to be kidding!" Ron exclaimed and this time Snape heard him. The man swooped down on their table before Ron could even register that he was in trouble.

"There will be no talking," Snape hissed. "Ten points from Gryffindor for interrupting class."

"What? That's not fair!" Ron said angrily.

"Ten more points, Mr. Weasley," Snape sneered viciously. "Will I need to take more?"

"No, sir," Ron ground out. After Snape turned away, Ron turned to Hermione and whispered, "I can't believe him!"

"Well, you shouldn't have been talking," Hermione chastised, as if she hadn't been as well. "Really, Ron, you should know better," she went back to cutting ingredients and ignoring Ron.

She slid her gaze over to the other side of the room where Harry was working with Malfoy. She could see him looking at her as well with a slight smile on his face as if he couldn't help himself. She gave him a slight wink and his smile broadened before he turned away and made his face impassive. Hermione went back to preparing ingredients with a smile.

* * *

Harry made his way to Dumbledore's office after his last class. Ciaran had gone hunting and was prepared for his potentially long stay in the Headmaster's office. Harry had strengthened the Disillusionment Charm on him. He was nervous about parting from his familiar, but he knew it had to be done if he wanted information. And Ciaran actually seemed excited about the adventure. Harry wasn't sure he realized that he would probably be spending a lot of time in boredom.

He gave the password and then stepped onto the spiral staircase as it was revealed. He could feel Ciaran moving on his arm, clearly getting a lay of the land so he would know what to expect when he escaped.

He knocked on the door when he reached the top and entered when he heard Dumbledore's voice call him in.

The office looked the same as always, though Harry noticed that the destruction he had caused at the end of last year had been remedied. The mystery objects were still scattered throughout the area and Fawkes' perch was still in the corner. The bird himself was not there and Harry's eyes darted around the office before confirming that he wasn't in the office at all. He relaxed slightly. He hadn't been sure if Fawkes would have been able to tell that he wasn't human when they were in close proximity.

"Ah, Mr. Renard," Dumbledore's voice drew his attention, "thank you for coming. Please, have a seat."

Harry sat in the chair in front of the desk before responding politely, "Professor Dumbledore."

"Well, my boy, I just thought I should check in with you. You've been at this school for two weeks now. It isn't often that we receive transfer students here. How are you settling in?" the Headmaster asked kindly. Harry dropped his arm down next to his chair and felt Ciaran begin to unwind from his arm onto the floor before he answered.

"I am doing fine, sir," Harry responded truthfully. "My housemates are nice enough and my classes are going well. It's all still a bit new to me, but I'm sure I'll be perfectly comfortable in no time; like I've always been here."

"Wonderful," Dumbledore said with a smile. Ciaran was no longer on his arm and Harry hoped he had found himself a good spot to settle in and spy. The rest of his conversation with the Headmaster was equally as benign as the beginning and gave Harry a chance to study the man.

He looked far older than Harry remembered. He wondered if it was because of his new vampire perspective or if the man's age was finally catching up to him. Harry was sure his death had put a huge strain on the man. He doubted any of his aging was from grief for _Harry_ but maybe for the death of the plans that he had been cultivating since before Harry's birth.

He was going to be grieving a lot more very soon.

* * *

When Harry reentered the common room, he saw Theo sitting in a corner by himself. He made his way over to the other boy and sat down.

"How did the meeting go?" Theo asked quietly.

"It was fine; just the old man checking in with a new student. He wasn't suspicious of anything," Harry replied. With a smirk he added, "Ciaran is hiding in his office now."

"Ah, a snake in the Light's den, how wonderful," Theo agreed with a slight smile.

"Where is Blaise?" Harry asked.

"Exercising some frustration, I think," Theo said dismissively.

"Doesn't sound like a bad idea," Harry murmured. Theo's eyes flicked over to Harry, probably wondering if he was going to pursue that line of thought. Harry gave him a seductive smile before standing up and gesturing for Theo to follow him.

After a moment of hesitation, Theo got up and followed Harry up to their dorm room. Though Harry didn't particularly feel the need to find a sexual release right now, he did feel the need for blood; which inevitably led to a need for sex of some sort. He locked the door after Theo had entered and turned to look at his him. Theo looked slightly nervous, wondering what Harry was going to do to him. Though it was in Harry's nature to take what he liked without asking, he wasn't going to do that to an ally; especially one who might be a friend as well.

"Don't look so scared, Theo," Harry said soothingly. "I won't force anything from you, nor would I ask since I usually go to Blaise. But if you are willing, I am feeling a need for blood."

"You won't hurt me?" Theo said, clearly uncomfortable asking the question.

"Only if you want me to," Harry said with a wicked smile. Theo's eyes widened the slightest bit before a hoarse laugh escaped him.

"Maybe another time," he responded nervously. Harry stalked forward slowly and watched as Theo's breathing began to pick up speed. It was a mix of fear and excitement. He gently pushed Theo back until his legs hit a bed and he was forced to sit down. Harry kept moving until he was straddling his friend's lap and he could feel the fear leaving to be replaced with arousal, probably from the pheromones Harry was releasing.

"Relax," Harry whispered into Theo's ear as he leaned forward. He let his lips brush across his neck before trailing feather soft kisses along the pulse. When he felt Theo relax completely, he sank his fangs into his neck as he pushed him back to lie on the bed. Theo let out a moan as his body arched up into Harry's.

Theo's blood was different than Blaise's, like it had a dark taint of power to it. Harry wondered if it was from the Dark Mark he bore. It definitely appealed to his own darker side. Without really thinking about it, he began to rotate his hips against Theo's, feeling the other boy rapidly becoming hard. Arousal always made the blood taste better, much like fear did.

He sucked harder on Theo's neck and the other boy tangled his fingers into Harry's hair and gripped tightly. His hips were rising off the bed, pushing against Harry's seeking friction.

"Fuck," Theo breathed, panting slightly.

"Not today," Harry laughed as he lifted his head and licked the wounds closed. He was overly aroused, feeling Theo's own on top of what he would usually feel after taking blood. He leaned in and captured Theo's lips before beginning to grind his hips in earnest.

Theo responded eagerly, too far gone into arousal to consider stopping. His breathing increased rapidly and Harry knew he was close. He picked up the speed of his thrusting, enjoying the feel of Theo's hard length against his own. As the tingling in his groin increased, his focus in the world narrowed down to the need for release.

Theo cried out as his orgasm took him and Harry followed right after him. He slowly rolled off of Theo onto the bed next to him and just let his body relax for a moment, letting the combination of blood and orgasm calm him completely. After a moment, he turned to Theo and asked, "Are you even attracted to males?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Theo responded dryly, "but I have the feeling that wouldn't have mattered in this case, huh?"

Harry laughed as he shook his head.

* * *

Draco was on his way back to the common room from the library before dinner began. He was sticking to back hallways, not particularly wanting to be caught out alone and also desiring some time alone.

As he was walking down a deserted passage, he caught the sound of a faint moan. He froze for a moment, wondering if he had really heard something. The noise came again and Draco could tell it wasn't a sound of pain. With a pained expression, Draco recalled the scene he had walked in on between Blaise and Henry in the first week of school. Since then, he had watched the two a bit more closely and noticed the vibes between them to suggest a more than friendly relationship.

Draco felt that irrational jealousy once again even as he was drawn against his will toward the noises. He looked through the door and was dismayed when he saw Blaise's face. But then he realized that the other person wasn't Henry. It was a girl.

He took a moment to actually process what he was seeing. Blaise was leaning back against the couch he was sitting on. The girl in question was straddling his lap and they were kissing passionately. The girl was rotating her hips and Draco realized Blaise's pants were pulled down slightly. The girl was riding his cock to an orgasm, which sounded like it was fast approaching.

She tore her mouth away to breathe in panting gasps. Before Draco could move, Blaise spotted him over his partner's shoulder. Instead of stopping or blushing or any reaction Draco would have expected, Blaise gave him a wicked smile before thrusting his hips more forcefully into the girl on top of him. As she began to orgasm, Blaise caught her mouth in a kiss while keeping eye contact with Draco the whole time. The only sign that he found his own release was when his eyes fluttered shut for a moment.

"Make yourself presentable, my dear," came Blaise's voice suddenly, "we have company."

The girl whipped around to see Draco watching them. He was sure his face was flushed with embarrassment and perhaps a touch of arousal, but Draco wouldn't be admitting that, even to himself. She quickly straightened her clothing before walking toward the door while Draco saw Blaise tidying himself up as well.

"See you around soon?" she asked just before leaving.

"Perhaps," Blaise said absently. The girl made an irritated noise before leaving the room. "Can I help you, Malfoy?"

Now that Draco had gotten over his initial embarrassment, he found himself becoming furious. Blaise was cheating on Henry?!

"What do you think you're doing?" Draco hissed, momentarily forgetting his calm mask.

"Whatever do you mean?" Blaise asked with a raised eyebrow.

"How could you do this to Henry?" Draco demanded.

"Henry?" Blaise asked with a confused look on his face.

"Yes, Henry. You're cheating on him!" Draco burst out angrily.

Blaise stared at him for a moment with a bewildered expression before replying, "What in the world are you talking about?"

"I saw you," Draco insisted, "the first week of school, after potions class."

Blaise's expression suddenly became very nervous. "What did you see?"

"Henry was kissing your neck," Draco answered reluctantly. "I left as soon as I saw you both." Draco was confused as he saw all the tension drain out of Blaise's body and his expression became a cocky smile again.

"Henry and I are not together," Blaise said, "No matter what you saw. We are only friends. You can even ask Henry if you don't believe me."

"But I saw-," Draco began.

"We aren't together," Blaise interrupted. "We are just very close friends. It's easier to trust a friend than find an actual lover, sometimes."

Draco eyed him suspiciously for a moment, but then Blaise added, "Henry and I could never be together, even if we ever desired such a thing, which we haven't. He has his eye on someone in particular."

Draco wondered if he imagined the pointed look Blaise gave him. Against his will, a flare of hope burst into life within him. Was Henry interested in him? Before he could really get carried away in his thoughts, Blaise stood up and started walking toward him. As he walked past Draco, he smirked before saying, "Why would you care anyway, Malfoy? If I didn't know any better, I may have thought you were jealous."

Before Draco could respond, Blaise was striding off down the hallway in the direction of Slytherin house. He scowled at the back of his retreating housemate. What did Henry see in that cocky bastard?

Thinking of Henry, Draco hurried back to the Slytherin common room, hoping Blaise wasn't going to speak of their encounter; but he wasn't very hopeful. When he arrived, he didn't see Blaise or Henry in the common room. He hurried up to his dorm, to drop off his bag like he originally intended, only to find the door locked. He tried a few unlocking spells, but the door never budged. He glanced around quickly before trying some of the darker spells he knew. The door still wouldn't budge.

He was sure Blaise was in there, exaggerating their meeting to Henry and making him look like a fool. He stood in front of the door for a moment more, debating going down to the common room to wait when the door was suddenly flung open wide to reveal Theo, Blaise, and Henry. Draco was surprised for a moment but quickly forced the muscles in his face to relax back into impassiveness. He was just about to deliver a snide comment about the locked door when Theo and Blaise both nodded to him before heading down the stairs to the common room and leaving him with Henry.

His mouth went dry for a moment with nerves. Had Blaise said something? Did Henry want to confirm Blaise's story? Was he going to let Draco down gently and say that he had his eye on someone else?

Draco's increasingly paranoid and irrational thoughts were stopped when Henry reached forward to grasp his bag before pulling it off his shoulder and placing it in their room just inside the door. He stared at the brunette for a moment in shock and received a breathtaking smile in return before Henry said, "Come on, Malfoy. Time for supper, you look like you could use it right now."

"Draco," he replied without thinking, then blushed slightly when Henry gave him a confused look. "Call me Draco."

He was rewarded with another blinding smile before the other boy said, "And call me Henry, Draco."

The sound of his name one Henry's lips was exciting. He followed the other boy down the stairs, perhaps a little closer than he normally would. But Henry didn't seem to mind.

* * *

Harry and Theo were getting ready to leave the dorm when Blaise came hurrying in and slammed the door behind him.

"Lock it," he demanded of Harry quickly. Harry raised his eyebrows slightly but warded the doors completely nonetheless.

"What's wrong, Blaise?" Harry asked.

"Nothing's _wrong_, per se," he replied, suddenly uncertain. "I just- I thought you would want to know that Malfoy thought that you and I were a couple."

"Why?" Harry asked confused even as his stomach clenched. His mate thought he had chosen another over him?

"He saw us, after that first potions class," Blaise explained. At Harry's alarmed expression, he assured, "Don't worry, he didn't see what you were doing, he thought you were kissing my neck. I assured him that we were not together and neither of us had any desire to be. Only that we were very close friends, I figured it would do more harm for you if I lied than if I just admitted the truth."

"That was… surprisingly charitable of you, Zabini," Theo teased, to which he received a glare. The two weren't completely comfortable around each other, but they were getting better. As long as they got along in public, Harry was fine with watching them bicker in private.

"Can I assume he is right behind you, then?" Harry asked as he tried to stop any fight that might start between them.

"Yes," Blaise answered just as Harry felt someone trying to break his locking spell. He held up a hand to stop the other two from talking as the spells continued to rain down on his own. He smiled approvingly as the spells became more complex and darker.

"He's right outside," Harry murmured. "When I open the door, I would like you two to go down to the common room and wait for us. I just want a moment alone with him, to reassure him that nothing is different between us." He gave Blaise a pointed look before adding, "I'm sure he assumes that you have come back here to make fun of him with me."

With that, he opened the door to the sight of his mate. The other two gave him a slight smirk when they saw the smile on his face before they disappeared.

_If Draco Malfoy was their mate, they'd smile, too_, Harry thought.

* * *

Now that Ciaran was in Dumbledore's office, Harry needed to get some of his plans into motion. The first order of business was to send a few letters. He was relaxing outside by the lake, and Hedwig was preening on a rock near where he was sprawled on the ground. The first letter he had written to Gringotts. He needed the cooperation of the goblins for this part of his revenge. He had no doubt they would help him, but he wanted to give them some warning.

The second letter was one he had never thought he'd be writing in the past.

_Dear Rita,_

_Before you disregard this letter, let me assure you that the story I have for you will be the biggest of your career yet._

_What do you really know about the disappearance of Harry Potter? I bet you've wondered, like many others, if he's really just missing. Or maybe he died? Or maybe he betrayed the Light?_

_I have all the answers. I suggest you meet me in Hogsmeade, at the Three Broomsticks at eleven, on the last Saturday of September. If you don't, believe me when I say everyone will know just how much of a __**bug**__ you really are._

_Madam Rosmerta will bring you to me when you arrive._

_Until we meet again,_

_H_

Harry debated signing his whole name, but if nothing else, simply signing an "H" would make Rita's mind race with all sorts of possibilities. He called Hedwig to him and tied both letters to her leg before watching her take off.

Very soon, the fun would begin.


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:**I own no part of the Harry Potter fandom nor do I make money from writing this story.

**Warnings:** Language, some violence

**A/N:** I've been incredibly sick, I had to rewrite this multiple times because fevers are not conducive to writing (you should have read what I did write before, it was awful). And my grandfather died. I'm currently in shock that a man who I subconsciously believed would live forever is now gone. In any case, sorry about the wait.

**Chapter 9**

The morning of the first Hogsmeade trip was sunny and warm, giving no hint that fall should be in full effect. Harry was walking toward the Three Broomsticks with Blaise at his side. He had left Theo to his own devices since the boy was determined to sleep as late as possible.

Harry had been filled with malicious glee when he received Rita's response. He was sure she was angry and fearful of his threat, but he also knew she couldn't say no to such a potentially juicy story. She had agreed to meet with him at the designated time, alone. Though he hadn't specifically demanded a private meeting, the tone of his letter suggested that it would be in her best interests to make it one.

He pushed the door open once they arrived at their destination and smiled faintly at the familiar, cozy atmosphere of the little pub. He held the door for Blaise to enter as well as he absently looked around the room for a moment. There were very few patrons at the moment. He spotted Madam Rosmerta behind the bar and made his way over to her with a warm smile.

"Excuse me, are you the beautiful lady I need to speak to if I'm interested in renting a private room for a bit?" Harry said, as if he had no idea who he was talking to.

"Yes, I'm Madam Rosmerta," she replied with a smile, "the owner of this establishment. Are you meeting someone or is your party here?"

Harry leaned closer and lowered his voice before saying, "A Miss Rita Skeeter is supposed to be meeting me at eleven. Could you perhaps send her along when she arrives?"

"Of course, Mr.?" she trailed off with a questioning look.

"Oh forgive me, how rude of me. My name is Henry Renard, I just transferred to Hogwarts this year. Please, just call me Henry," Harry said, taking her hand and giving it a kiss as he introduced himself. Madam Rosmerta blushed slightly, looking as if she wasn't quite sure how to respond to his actions.

"Well, Henry," she continued, "I'll send her along when she arrives. How long will you be needing the room?"

"Oh, an hour should be enough," Harry said. He paid the amount she required before heading to the room he was assigned.

The room was small and cozy, with two armchairs and a little loveseat with a coffee table situated between them. They were all a bit worn looking but gave the impression of comfort. Harry took one of the armchairs and Blaise took the other one next to him. Harry was right, they were comfortable and squishy. He leaned back fully and let himself relax. Despite the upcoming meeting with a woman who had made his life a living hell in the past, he felt completely at ease. He wouldn't be playing by her rules this time; he was the one in control now.

A moment later, Madam Rosmerta came in with a tea tray with three cups. Harry thanked her before she left once again.

"Are you ready?" Blaise asked quietly.

"Of course," Harry smiled, "I have nothing to worry about in this encounter."

"I am looking forward to her reactions to the information you will reveal," Blaise confessed.

"As am I," Harry agreed. "Even more so, I look forward to how the students will react. All those silly little children who thought they knew Harry Potter," he said, with a trace of bitterness in his voice.

Blaise gave him a sympathetic smile as a knock came on the door. Harry got up and opened the door to reveal Rita Skeeter, wearing a surprisingly subdued ensemble as opposed to her usual flashy robes.

"Miss Skeeter," Harry gave a slight bow, with a somewhat predatory smile, "thank you for coming. Won't you come in and sit down?"

"Thank you," she said stiffly after a moment and made her way over to the loveseat. Harry shut and locked the door behind her. He cast the strongest silencing charms he knew on the room before returning to his armchair.

"Why don't you have some tea, Miss Skeeter," Harry offered. She looked at it suspiciously and Harry chuckled darkly, "I haven't added anything to it. It is just tea. You should relax. After all, you are only here to do your job; to be the first to acquire an earth-shattering story before anyone else gets hold of it."

At the mention of the story, Rita began to slip back into her reporter mode. She poured herself a cup of tea and sat back to sip on it.

"Will you tell me your name and that of your companion?" Rita asked finally.

"Of course," Harry said agreeably, "after you give an oath on your magic that you will not reveal, in any way, where you got the information for this story. Additionally, you will never reveal that you met with me or my companion. Is that acceptable?"

"Do I have a choice?" Rita scowled.

"No," Harry said simply, "because I know your secret and you know nothing about me." _Except that I claim to have information on Harry Potter, which could be enough to have someone investigate me_, Harry thought to himself. He hoped Rita was too flustered to realize she did have something against him.

"Very well," Rita relented grudgingly. "This better be a damned good story."

"Your worry is in vain, madam," Harry assured her before she took the requested oath.

"Thank you," Harry said charmingly. "As requested, my name is Henry Renard, and my companion is Blaise Zabini. I'm sure you have questions now that I would be more than happy to answer."

"You said you had information about Harry Potter," Rita said, as she began to pull out her supplies, including her Quick Quotes Quill that made Harry want to kill something the moment he saw it.

He snatched the quill away from her and said, "No, you will write your notes by hand. There will be no need to embellish this story for your readers with this contraption."

His face must have shown how unwilling he was to compromise on this because she only pursed her lips tightly before pulling a normal quill out of her bag.

"Much better," Harry said. "And yes, I do have information on Harry Potter. All the information you ever hoped to learn about him but never did."

"So what has happened to Harry Potter?" Rita asked.

"He died this summer," Harry said bluntly. Rita gaped at him in disbelief, even though he was sure she had already begun to think that this was the truth. "But he didn't stay dead," Harry reassured her calmly.

He watched as Rita became confused before he saw her annoyance when she came to the conclusion that he didn't have any real story for her and was just fooling around.

"Before you write me off, let me assure you that my story is true," Harry said. "I am just unsure how to prove it to you as I would with others if I were telling them."

"What do you mean he didn't stay dead?" Rita asked, clearly still suspicious.

"Let me just lay it out for you, shall I?" Harry asked rhetorically before continuing without a pause. "My name is Henry Renard, but up until July of this past summer, I was known as Harry Potter." Harry saw Rita's incredulous look but continued speaking before she could voice her protests. "I was beaten to death, literally, by my abusive muggle uncle. While I was unconscious and bleeding out the last of my life, a vampire saved me and made me like him. I have called you here, not to report that Harry Potter is alive and well, because believe me, Harry Potter is most assuredly dead, but to report a few of the many dark secrets about my human life that I have learned since my death."

Rita just stared at him for a moment in shock, her quill dangling in her slack grip. Harry had to admit, it was a rather bold declaration for someone to make, but it was the truth. Hopefully she would accept that he was telling the truth and revert back into the vicious reporter he knew her to be.

"And you expect me to believe this?" Rita questioned finally.

"Perhaps not right away," Harry said dismissively, "but you will. And like I said, you don't really need to believe that I was once Harry Potter, though I assure you I speak the truth, but you do need to believe the information I will reveal to you about Harry Potter's life. But first, I have a question for you?"

"What?" Rita asked, clearly still debating the truth of his words.

"Are you opposed to ruining Albus Dumbledore?" Harry replied. He saw the familiar gleam creep into Rita's eyes that he used to hate, because it meant she was going to fuck up his life somehow; but now he relished it, because it was turning on someone else in his favor.

"Not at all," Rita purred, suddenly sounding much more like herself at the prospect of damaging the image of an upstanding citizen of Wizarding society. In fact, Dumbledore could almost be considered untouchable.

"Good, very good," Harry smiled, "because even though I am going to tell you about the life of Harry Potter, I am doing so in the hopes that you will show everyone how warped Dumbledore has become. Harry Potter will definitely be the victim of this story, but I think you would prefer to take down Dumbledore given the chance, no?"

Rita nodded her head eagerly. Harry looked at Blaise out of the corner of his eye and saw his friend observing the conversation with a slight smile on his face.

"Well, let's start at the very beginning then," Harry began, pulling a few important documents out of his cloak. "These are the Wills of my parents and my godfather, Sirius Black. If you must, you may check them for authenticity to assure yourself that I speak the truth."

Harry waited a moment as he watched Rita scan the pieces of parchment with a few spells, clearly determined to double check her information, for once.

"These Wills were ignored in the decision of my upbringing," Harry explained. "I was not raised by any of the guardians my parents had chosen. In fact, my godfather, Sirius Black, was conveniently arrested and thrown into Azkaban without a trial right when I would have needed him to take on the roll as my guardian."

"I wouldn't say it was convenient," Rita countered, "he was the Secret Keeper for your family. You-Know-Who was able to find your family because of his betrayal. It seems pretty obvious to me that there was no need for a trial. Especially after his memorable confrontation with Peter Pettigrew."

"Oh, Rita," Harry said, with a slightly condescending tone of voice, "you of all people should know that things aren't always what they seem. And just because Albus Dumbledore says something, it does not make it true.

"Siruis Black was not the Secret Keeper, Peter Pettigrew was," Harry continued. "Though you don't have to believe me, you should question why Albus Dumbledore allowed one of his trusted followers to be thrown in jail without any mercy when he had the power to do something. The same Dumbledore who is so often accused of foolishly trusting those he shouldn't, such as Severus Snape, was able to turn his back on Sirius Black without flinching."

"But why would he do that?" Rita asked logically. "What reason would he have to put him away?"

"Though I cannot be completely sure, I do have a theory," Harry replied. "I believe that Dumbledore truly believed Black was the Secret Keeper, but it is unlike him that he didn't question the man before he was sent to jail. Of the three guardians my parents named, Black was the only one that Albus didn't have an argument against for him to gain custody of me.

"Lupin was easy to dismiss, he's a werewolf. _Of course_ he shouldn't be allowed to raise the Savior of the Wizarding world. Wizards are completely distrustful of werewolves and they are frequently denied jobs. Easily dismissed.

"Snape was even easier. A former Death Eater, raising the Boy-Who-Lived? It's almost laughable," Harry chuckled. "Even though Dumbledore publicly promotes the innocence of Snape, it doesn't mean he won't use people's distrust to his advantage in private."

"But once again, why would he want to?" Rita asked curiously.

"Let me ask you a question, Rita," Harry countered. "If you had a potentially powerful weapon with a conscious mind of its own, how would you like it to develop? Would you want it to be confident, strong, independent, and potentially fight against your wishes? Or would you want a weapon that was submissive and obedient, who was unlikely to question you and too insecure to think that any other path was right."

"Of course I wouldn't want a powerful weapon that couldn't be controlled," Rita answered, as if the idea were crazy.

"Well, neither did Dumbledore," Harry said. "At least, considering the next part of my life, I can only assume that was the thought behind his actions. Dumbledore was appointed as my magical guardian, but he did not raise me. Instead he took me to the house of my mother's sister. How nice, that Harry Potter would be raised by the sister of his mother, a real family member, right?

"But Petunia Dursley was a muggle, and not just any muggle; but a bitter, jealous, magic-hating muggle with a husband of the same mind-set. Now, why would the esteemed Headmaster of Hogwarts, place his charge and future student in such an environment to be raised?

"I was given no contact with the magical world until I received my Hogwarts letter," Harry said forcefully. "I did not know magic existed. I did not know that my parents were murdered. I was hated and shunned like a dirty secret by the only family I could remember. I was never good enough. Every misfortune that touched the Dursleys was my fault. I was unwanted and unworthy. I spent my whole childhood trying to please them and be good enough for their attention."

Rita's expression was one of horror now. As much as she reveled in the destruction of others lives, the thought of such neglect to a magical child was clearly as abhorrent to her as it was to the rest of the Wizarding world.

"Given that information, Rita, what would such a neglected child's response be to the person who came to take them away from such a dark upbringing?" Harry asked.

"I would imagine the child would be grateful," Rita finally answered quietly.

"Yes, not only grateful, though," Harry added, "I daresay there might even be a touch of hero-worship in the child and strong positive feelings towards that individual that would not be easily shaken. Rubeus Hagrid was sent to collect me for my first trip to Diagon Alley but it was quickly made known to me that he had been sent by the very busy and extrememly important Albus Dumbledore. Imagine, such an important person wanted to help _me_. He must be wonderful.

"Do you want to know the first things I really learned about the Wizarding world? All Slytherins go Dark. My parents were murdered by a Slytherin. And Albus Dumbledore, who was apparently a great friend of my parents, was a great man. I cannot tell you how many times I heard those words out of Hagrid's mouth."

"I don't- But why… How could Dumbledore be this cruel?" Rita finally got out. "He's the leader of the fight against the Dark Lord! He can't be this- this- Dark!"

"I never said he was Dark, Miss Skeeter," Harry said. "No, not Dark, but seriously misguided. I think he has been blinded over the years in his desire to fight against those of dark intent. I think over time he has done things and told himself that it was for the good of all, to convince him that his own guilt was worth the end result. But over time… the more often you do something, the less wrong it feels. Until you no longer think that what you are doing is wrong."

Rita's expression showed she was skeptical of Harry's reasoning. He sighed before saying, "Think about it, Rita. You are an unregistered animagus. You use your ability to spy on people and ruin their lives. Now, as hard as it is to imagine, I can't believe that you were always like this. Or at least, not this vicious, since being a reporter such as yourself requires a certain level of desire to cause chaos and destruction. The first few times you used your ability to spy probably made you feel a bit guilty, but you got over it quickly. Now, you feel as if it is your right to find the most scandalous story possible, because that's your job. Is any of this ringing true for you?"

Rita was nodding thoughtfully with a distracted look on her face by the time Harry was done speaking, no doubt recalling the days when her career was just taking off.

"So, is it really so hard to believe that Albus Dumbledore didn't follow a similar path, which led him to eventually feel like he was entitled to do whatever he had to in order to reach his goal?" Harry questioned.

"No, it is not," Rita agreed. "But I almost feel as if you are defending him, now. Why is that?"

"I am not defending him," Harry assured her. "What I am doing is trying to show you that I am aware that Dumbledore is essentially a good guy, who has seriously lost touch with his morals over time. I am not just attacking him out of childish spite, but because I feel he needs to be brought down before he can ruin others. Who has ever stood up to Dumbledore to tell him he was wrong? Only Grindelwald and Voldemort, so clearly the man has never had any reason to doubt his actions. Although, I suppose Cornelius Fudge challenges him, but that man is such a moron, there is nothing he could say that Dumbledore would respect enough to change his ways," Harry added.

"And if he did respect anything our dear Minister said, I think he would have found losing faith in him by now," Rita agreed dryly. Harry gave her a small smile.

"Indeed," he said. "I trust you can write this story without making it seem like you got all this information from one source?" Rita nodded and Harry continued, "I have alerted the goblins that you may be coming to confirm some information about Harry Potter. You should ask to speak to Griphook. He can confirm Harry Potter's death and the fact that his vaults have been passed to another who they cannot reveal for privacy issues, of course. They can also confirm that I never visited my vaults before the age of eleven and when I did I was accompanied by Hagrid, not my magical guardian. I'm sure there are other interesting things you may be able to get out of Griphook for you story."

"How very thoughtful of you," Rita said, a malicious gleam already entering her eyes at the thought of dirtying the immaculate reputation of Dumbledore.

"Do you have any more questions?" Harry asked, to which Rita shook her head no. "Alright then. My last warning, Rita. This is a story about Harry Potter and his death, but the true purpose of this article is to highlight that Dumbledore has fallen a great distance from his once revered pedestal, though no one seems aware of it. You best make it very apparent that something is wrong with him. Do not fail me."

Rita was once again fearful but her fear was tempered with excitement, now, at the thought of the forbidden information she had just gained access to.

"You have nothing to worry about, Harry," she replied graciously. "I am good at what I do."

"And don't I know it," Harry muttered. "I look forward to reading your article, for once."

Rita bid them farewell, before leaving the room. Harry stared at the door absently until Blaise's voice drew him from his thoughts; he'd almost forgotten his friend was there.

"I am a bit surprised at you, Harry," Blaise said thoughtfully.

"And why is that?" Harry asked curiously.

"To have revealed so much of your life with your relatives… You have spent your whole life hiding who you truly were and the hardships you had endured. It is very unlike you to share such things with others, especially a vicious reporter," Blaise commented.

"True," Harry said slowly, "but Harry Potter is dead, Blaise. I am not that person any longer. And why should I hold my silence for the dead if it will profit what I need done now?"

Blaise just shook his head at his friend before they both left the private room to wander Hogsmeade.

* * *

Harry left Blaise at the Slytherin common room when they returned to the castle. He felt he should check on Hermione, see how she was faring with Ronald. They rarely saw each other and Harry had seen her leave Hogsmeade early without her boyfriend. He had been amused to see her enthusiastically chatting with a Ravenclaw male while Ron looked on in jealous anger. When Hermione had finished her conversation, Ron had demanded to know why she had been flirting. She had said that she wasn't flirting but that she enjoyed intelligent conversation and rarely was gifted with an opportunity to engage in it. Ron had not been pleased.

A small smile found its way onto Harry's face as he remembered the insulted expression on his former best friend's face.

Harry was suddenly pulled from his memories in a most unpleasant way as he turned a corner. He froze for a moment at the scene in front of him before whipping back around the way he had come at inhuman speed.

He felt as though he had been winded and something hot was burning its way through his veins in a most unpleasant way, leaving his stomach leaping and his heart throbbing painfully. He knew he was feeling jealousy and betrayal. He was too late and it was going to eat him alive.

He doubted he would ever escape the image of Draco - his Draco, his mate – in the arms of another boy until the day he died.

* * *

Draco was not pleased. He knew it was only a matter of time before he was confronted by one of the other Death Eater children within the school. He had no idea whether this one was Marked or not, but it didn't matter. They thought Draco was weak, because his family had fallen in status. They wanted to feel powerful while they ridiculed the fallen Malfoy.

It made Draco want to laugh in their face. Only now were they brave enough to confront him. But he was not an invalid.

This boy, whose name Draco could not be bothered to remember, had caught him unawares and dragged him into a more deserted part of the castle. The fact that he had been caught off guard grated on him, but there was no point in looking back.

He was currently pressed against the wall with one of the boy's arms on each side of him, trapping him in. It was like a sick parody of an embrace.

For a moment, he felt the weird tingling in his heart that meant that Henry was near him, but then it was gone before he could even consider panicking at being caught in such a compromising position.

"Malfoy, what are we going to do with you?" the boy's voice distracted him completely and he was once again very much aware that he was being unwillingly pushed against a wall. Instead of fighting back immediately, he relaxed his body completely and let his face become impassive. Annoyance was clearly displayed on the other boy's face, thinking Draco didn't take him seriously as a threat; which was actually true.

"You've been strutting around Hogwarts since you arrived," the boy muttered, "but were always hiding behind your bodyguards and your father's reputation. Never fighting your own battles yet always looking down on everyone else like they were the pathetic ones. I think it's time you were taught _your_ place."

"Well, I hardly think plebians, such as yourself, matter," Draco drawled, knowing the other boy would become infuriated. _Anger leads to carelessness_, Draco thought to himself as he watched the other boy's face become red. "And really, you only have the courage to face me now because you think myself and my family have become too weak to defend ourselves. Yes, how tough you are."

"Why you-," the boy loosened his hold the slightest bit but that was all Draco needed to act. Draco's captor had been stepping back to make more room for himself to move and Draco used his own momentum against him to push as hard as he could.

Caught off guard, the other boy fell back, unable to regain his balance before his back hit the wall on the other side of the corridor. Before he could react, Draco had his wand out and had cast _Expelliarmus_. He then leveled his wand at the other boy's throat, who had now gone deadly still and was watching Draco with wide-eyes. It was almost disappointing how fast he lost his bravado.

"Well, well, what am I going to do with _you_?" Draco mocked as he smirked maliciously. The boy quickly gathered what must have been the remains of his courage and was opening his mouth angrily when Draco backhanded him, hard. "Do be silent," he sneered and watched with some satisfaction when the slightest drop of blood appeared at the corner of the idiot's mouth.

He was sure the other boy was shocked in a number of different ways. While it wasn't unheard of for a pureblood to use physical force instead of magical, it definitely wasn't common. In this case, it showed the boy that Draco did not even consider him worthy of magic; a true insult to a wizard, especially one of the Dark.

"Now, Braden," Malfoy began, finally remembering the boy's surname, "you're in luck, because you've rather caught me off guard today. It would be terrible inconvenient to try to explain a body with my magical signature all over it. So you'll just be getting a warning."

Braden relaxed slightly before Draco hit him with a Body-Bind quickly followed by a Silencing Charm. He toppled to the floor and Draco levitated him into a room nearby so they would be out of sight. He let his prey drop to the ground for a moment, trying to decide what punishment to use.

The boy looked helpless and pathetic right now; like a muggle.

Draco smirked wickedly.

"_Ligatus potentia_," Draco whispered. A soft glow surrounded Braden for a moment, a contradiction to the Dark magic Draco had just used. He flicked his wand again, causing the other spells he had used on his fellow student to begin to fall apart slowly instead of immediately.

He tossed Braden's wand to him before turning around to walk out of the room. Before he could leave completely, he heard a slight movement and glanced over his shoulder to see Braden struggling to point his wand at Draco.

"You think you got the best of me?" Braden whispered harshly, still trying to break though the remains of the Silencing Charm.

"There's not much thinking involved to understand that, Braden," Draco drawled, continuing on his way out of the room.

"_Stupefy_."

Draco didn't even duck, he just laughed cruelly as he heard Braden begin to cast every curse he could think of with the same result. Absolutely nothing.

Draco had bound his magic, at least temporarily, but he wasn't going to share that.

"I won't be the last one, Malfoy," he heard the boy snarl from inside the room. Draco was already beginning to turn the corner at the end of the hall.

"Then let the games begin," Draco said under his breath with a cruel smirk.

* * *

Harry stalked into the library with a raging thundercloud surrounding him, or at least he felt like there must be one considering how volatile he felt at the moment.

He really hoped Hermione was in the library, because he was not in a mood to play hide-and-seek with her.

He found her in the back corner, just as he had the first time he spoke to her that year. She apparently sensed his approach and looked up at him before he was within twenty feet of her table. A smile started to spread on her face before she took in the expression on his face and her own expression quickly morphed to alarm and worry.

He roughly pulled out a chair and sat down, futilely trying to stop himself from running back to Draco and pulling the other boy from him. He had no right; Draco made his choice and he had to respect it.

"What has happened?" Hermione asked anxiously. "Are you alright?"

"I'm… not fine, but I am not injured, except perhaps my heart," Harry said bitterly. Hermione raised an eyebrow at his response and he added, "I just saw my mate with… another. I need a distraction so I do not kill something."

He knew he was failing miserably at containing himself. He felt his fangs were more prominent than usual and he was working extra hard not to nick his lip as he spoke. He was sure some red had bled into the green of his eyes as well.

"Do you, uhm, will- will blood help you calm down?" Hermione asked tentatively. Harry snapped his head up to look at her before he looked away and tried to think calming thoughts.

"Perhaps, but I am feeling rather out of control at the moment and would not wish to hurt you," he ground out. To his surprise, Hermione let out a breathless little laugh.

"If you need blood, Harry, I can help with that," Hermione said, suddenly seeming very confident about the whole thing.

"Did you not hear what I just said?" Harry asked incredulously. "I could hurt you!"

"And the fact that you are worried about such a thing leads me to think that I am actually perfectly safe," Hermione smiled.

"And how did you come to such a conclusion?" Harry demanded.

"If you were going to harm me, I think you would have leapt at me the moment I mentioned blood," Hermione said ruefully. "Also, although you may not be the Harry Potter I once knew, enough of him is still in you that I would trust you with my life, even as you are draining it out of me. I cannot believe that you would hurt me, no matter how volatile you are feeling."

Harry just stared at her for a moment before grudgingly agreeing that she was right. He motioned for her to come to him and he grabbed her hand to pull her into his lap once she was in front of him. He soothingly ran a hand through her hair before trailing his fingers down her neck, eliciting a shiver from his friend.

"Are you sure about this?" Harry murmured.

"I trust you, Harry," Hermione whispered. "And you can count on me for anything. Always."

Harry laid a gentle kiss on her pulse before sinking his fangs into it. Hermione gasped before she let out a breathy little moan. She probably had the purest blood Harry had ever tasted. It was very refreshing and Harry could feel himself calming immediately from it. He drew away from her slightly after a few moments and licked her wounds closed.

Hermione was breathing a bit heavier than normal but appeared unharmed. Harry raised his head and froze when he realized they were being watched. Though he quickly scowled when he realized it was only Blaise watching them with his arms crossed and an irritated look on his face.

"I came looking for you," Blaise explained unnecessarily as he pushed off the book shelf he had been leaning against to come toward them, "to tell you that you have a letter, but perhaps I should have been here earlier to remind you of _discretion_."

"It would have been fine," Harry said dismissively. Hermione's face had gone red with embarrassment and she was subtly trying to move from Harry's lap, but Harry only tightened his grip on her. There was nothing for her to be embarrassed about.

"Anyone could have found you back here like this!" Blaise hissed angrily.

"Anyone else would have made some noise of surprise to alert me to their presence or assumed we were doing what hormonal teenagers are prone to do," Harry countered. "Had the first happened, I could have easily taken care of it, and the second, as we've learned from experience, isn't anything to be concerned about. I needed this, though."

Blaise clearly wanted to argue further but instead he gave his friend a good look. There were only slight signs to hint at the distress that Harry was feeling now that he had taken blood to calm himself.

"What is wrong?" Blaise asked, with more concern now.

"I saw Draco with another," Harry pursued his lips tightly, as if that could stop the stream of colorful language that he actually wanted to be spewing. Blaise expression became confused.

"You saw Malfoy- are you sure?" Blaise questioned.

"I know what I saw," Harry said angrily, annoyed that his friend was questioning him on such things.

"I'm sure you do," Blaise said soothingly, "it's just… It would be very unlike Draco to do anything, with anyone, in a place where you could stumble upon him. No matter what."

"A boy had him against a wall, Blaise, with his arms around him, what would you think?" Harry growled.

"Are you sure it was a romantic gesture," Blaise asked carefully, "and not a violent one? You know his standing within the Dark circles is not high any longer."

The suggestion made all his vampire instincts scream at him to check on his mate. What if he had misinterpreted? Was his mate okay? Was he being abused?

Before he could sprint off in Draco's direction, Blaise put his hand on his arm to gain his attention.

"If your bond is indeed as strong as it already appears to be, you will be able to tell if he is injured or not, correct?"

It was a subtle way for Blaise to tell him to calm the fuck down and start thinking instead of just acting. He took a moment to calm his inner turmoil and concentrate.

He found a little ball of emotion within himself that was not his own that he could barely feel; he had to assume that it was Draco. As far as he could tell, his mate was fine, but that didn't really calm him. Either he had handled his attacker well, or he was in fact with the other boy in a romantic sense. Harry desperately tried to convince himself it was the former.

"Let's go check on him," Hermione said quietly, still in his lap, but no longer embarrassed. She pulled the hand he had wrapped around her away from her body to get up and then used the connection to bring him to his feet.

He gave her a strained nod before he led them to where he had seen Draco.

There was no one there, but Harry did catch the faintest scent of blood on the air and a lingering hint of fear. And the blood did not smell of Draco.

Harry let out a reflexive sigh of relief, "They aren't here, and I do not believe it was a romantic encounter, considering the trace of blood I smell. It doesn't belong to Draco."

"That is good," Blaise murmured. "Give your mate some credit, Harry. He can take care of himself. But perhaps you should go find him to reassure yourself?"

"Later," Harry said, though his instincts still were not completely satisfied. He knew, rationally at least, that what Blaise said was true, and Draco was more than capable of taking care of himself; their past history was proof of that, "I'll walk Hermione back to Gryffindor first."

He offered his arm to his friend with a smile to which she rolled her eyes before accepting. Blaise followed them, as well, and Harry watched him interact with his first best friend.

Blaise had always kept himself apart from his peers, never wanting to risk exposing his family's connections to the vampires if he let someone get too close. But Hermione already knew of them, and Harry saw Blaise opening up to her in a way that he hadn't seen him do with any other woman at Hogwarts. He smirked as he watched them.

Maybe he wouldn't be the only one to find someone this year.

Harry was jarred from his thoughts of matchmaking when Hermione tugged on his arm, signaling him to stop in the shadows near the entrance to the Gryffindor tower. He turned to her questioningly, but she only shook her head before indicating that he should watch the entrance.

He turned back to see Neville Longbottom pacing in front of the portrait, seeming to be arguing with himself over something. Harry barely had time to think about it before the boy turned to walk off in a different direction away from the tower.

When they were sure he was gone, Hermione explained quietly, "He's been acting strange for the past week. Always disappearing at odd times and keeping to himself. No one else has noticed, because no one else really notices Neville to begin with. I tried to keep in contact with him, especially after the fiasco at the Ministry, but he's always taking off somewhere. I don't know what's going on."

Harry bit his lip slightly, a habit he had thought he'd broken, wondering if his concerns at the beginning of the year were worth voicing.

"Keep an eye on him, Hermione, if you could," Harry said eventually. "I think it has something to do with Dumbledore, but perhaps I'm overly jaded when it comes to suspicious things occurring within Hogwarts."

"You have your reasons," Hermione said, squeezing his arm gently in support, "but why would you think this is about Dumbledore?"

"I wasn't the only boy that damn prophesy could have been talking about," Harry said pointedly, "and I died. Sort of defeats the title 'Boy-Who-Lived', don't you think?"

Hermione's expression was worried, but she said, "Surely Dumbledore wouldn't just throw the next candidate out there? Neville doesn't fulfill all the requirements!"

Harry just gave her a flat stare until she scowled at him and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "old bastard".

"Just watch him," Harry repeated. "I'll see you later, Hermione, goodnight."

"You two hurry back," Hermione warned, "it's almost curfew."

Harry rolled his eyes at Blaise as they walked away. Honestly, some things never changed.

* * *

Harry and Blaise were close to the common room when Harry picked up the distinct scent of his mate coming from somewhere deeper within the maze that made up the Hogwarts dungeons. He explained to Blaise what was going on before heading toward the smell.

In a shadowy alcove, Harry found Draco curled up on a bench, with his eyes closed and his head back against the wall behind him. Harry knew he wasn't asleep, but his face was relaxed in a semblance of sleep that let Harry see just how beautiful Draco was when he let his guard down. He quickly scanned his eyes over his mate, making sure he didn't see any signs that could indicate that he had been injured earlier. He let out a silent sigh of relief when he detected nothing.

As if hearing him, though, Draco's eyes snapped open and to him before the tension that had quickly travelled through his body was released.

Before Harry could say anything, Draco's eyes went back to the ceiling and he asked, "Do you know what it's like to be judged because of _who_ you are instead of who i_you_/i are?"

Harry immediately thought of his human life; it had been nothing but judgment without anyone getting to know who he really was.

"Yes, I know quite well," Harry responded quietly, moving closer to the other boy.

"How do you shatter the image people believe of you if they won't take the time to look?" Draco asked, still gazing at the ceiling. His expression turned angry for a moment before he murmured, "I am not my father. I would not make his choices."

"You do not agree with your father?" Harry asked carefully, hoping to learn more about his mate's beliefs.

"Would you agree with your father if he supported a-," Draco cut himself off abruptly and scowled at Harry, as if he had made Draco reveal something he didn't want to. "No, I do not. I do not believe the same things he does and his poor judgment is now a threat to me. So no, I am not in support of my father."

"A threat to you?" Harry asked, immediately wanting to check Draco to make sure he was okay, again.

"Yes," Draco said, eyeing Harry as if debating what to say. "The Malfoy name is not as untouchable in certain circles as it once was. Some would like to make sure I know it. But they forget I am my own person and I am more than capable of protecting myself."

"Were you threatened today?" Harry almost growled. Draco gave him a slightly taken aback by the fierceness in his voice.

"I took care of it," Draco responded nonchalantly, not really giving Harry any of the details he so desperately wanted.

"Was it the boy you were with earlier today?" Harry asked before he could stop himself; he i_had_/i to know.

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked stiffly.

"I saw you with a boy earlier today. I assumed you were… i_involved_/i because he had his arms around you and you were pressed against the wall," Harry admitted, needing to know if this person had hurt his mate.

Draco sneered, "Involved? No, most certainly not. And I took care of him."

"Did he hurt you?" Harry asked fiercely.

Draco was clearly startled at the amount of anger Harry was showing in regards to the possibility of him being injured but he only said, "No, he never even got the chance."

"Good," Harry said darkly. He smirked a bit before adding, "May I ask what you did to him?"

"Bound his magic," Draco said with a lazy smile. "It'll wear off eventually, but I didn't tell him that."

Harry laughed, and was about to respond when he heard a noise further down the hall that had him standing up quickly.

"Filch is coming this way, it's after curfew," Harry said quietly. "We need to go."

Draco shot an alarmed look down the hallway before standing and following Harry back toward Slytherin. They didn't get too far before Harry's keen hearing caught the sound of footsteps coming toward them as well. He saw a tapestry up ahead that he knew concealed a small alcove and without thinking he grabbed Draco's hand and pulled him quickly down the hall and behind the tapestry.

Draco let out a little sound of protest as Harry pushed him into the corner but Harry quickly put a hand over his mouth to block the noise before going completely still. He didn't want to expose that he was a vampire but he knew some of his natural vampire abilities would be useful at the moment. He concentrated on making the shadows around the two of them more opaque while angling his head over Draco's shoulder so the blonde couldn't accidentally catch sight of his now-red eyes.

The footsteps were getting louder and Harry turned his head the slightest bit to the right to see if he could catch sight of the owner of the other footsteps. He caught sight of black robes and the scent of his human father and stiffened marginally before forcing himself to relax again. He heard Snape and Filch greet each other briefly before parting.

Once Harry could no longer hear either man, he let his body relax and released the magic he was using. Then he became aware of the situation he was in and his body filled with a different type of tension.

When Harry had grabbed Draco, he had unwittingly pressed the other boy against the wall with his own body in an attempt to squeeze into the small space. Now, the fronts of their bodies were melded together from their chests down to their entwined legs. His hand was still over Draco's mouth so he could feel the other's breath ghosting across his skin while Harry's head was bent over Draco's shoulder, allowing their cheeks to brush slightly.

Immediately, Harry was having a battle of wills with his erection that would be immediately noticed by Draco. It was even harder to control because he could feel Draco's feelings of arousal as if it were his own from touching the other boy's skin.

He slowly drew his head back so that he could see his mate's face. He was losing control over his instincts quickly. His mate was so close. His mate was aroused, because of him. If he but leaned in a mere few inches, their lips would touch and he could taste his mate's mouth.

His mate's eyes were dilated into black pools of desire. His lips were slightly parted and his breathing was coming in small gasps of air.

He began to lean forward toward his mate unconsciously; he had to taste him. His whole world focused down onto those perfect lips. They were so close to touching, that Harry imagined he could feel phantom lips on his own.

_Who could have ever predicted that Harry Potter would want to be with Draco Malfoy?_ Harry thought absently.

With that thought though, instead of feeling ironic amusement, it caused Harry to quickly turn his head to the side at the last moment before pulling away a little bit, as if checking for sounds of footsteps.

"I think they're gone," Harry commented hoarsely, while turning back to look at Draco. His heart clenched when he saw the hurt and disappointment on his mate's face before he was able to hide away his emotions until he was even more distant than he had been at the beginning of the year.

"Then we should return to the common room before anyone else comes along," Draco said coldly before walking past Harry.

It hurt, knowing his mate was upset, especially when it was his fault. But he knew he had made the right choice. Draco didn't know him yet. He knew Henry Renard, but he didn't know that he used to be Harry Potter or that he was a vampire.

If he pursued a relationship with Draco before coming clean, he was afraid Draco would see it as a betrayal and a lie. Perhaps he would think it was Harry's way of getting revenge on him. While most vampires didn't have to worry about who they were as humans when courting their mate, Harry knew he did. There was too much history between Draco and himself for his mate to just accept his past and move on immediately.

He wasn't sure how he was going to tell his mate, but he needed to. Soon. They were both feeling the pull toward one another and it was only getting stronger.

With a sigh, Harry followed his mate back to their dorms, fully expecting to stay awake all night while he agonized over how to tell Draco Malfoy that he was a vampire, that they were mates, and that he had been Harry Potter only a few months earlier.

He was terrified.

**A/N:** Harry and Draco soon, I promise. Shit's going to hit the fan very shortly. Please review, it makes me happy and encourages me to write more and better (I hope).

_Ligatus potentia_ roughly means "bound power" in Latin.


	11. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any part of the Harry Potter fandom nor do I make money from writing this story.

**Warnings:** Language

**A/N:** I promised that it would get crazy this chapter… but it was getting too long. So next chapter things will get interesting.

{Parseltongue}

**Chapter 10**

As predicted, Harry rolled out of his bed the next morning convinced he had not slept at all. It was still very early; none of the other boys in the dorm would be rising for some time yet. He headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day before leaving a note for Blaise to find.

His eyes drifted over to his mate's bed. He felt an unpleasant lurch of anxiety in the pit of his stomach at the thought of the situation he had caused between them. He slowly stepped over to Draco's bed and watched the blonde for a moment. He desperately wanted to reach out and stroke one of his cheeks or run his fingers through that silky blonde hair.

He clenched both hands into fists at his side, not entirely certain that he would be able to keep his hands to himself. He had missed so much as a human that had been right in front of him. His mate was gorgeous in a very masculine way. And his presence was intoxicating. Draco was very sexy, from the way he walked to the lazy way he could drawl a sentence full of sarcasm or innuendo.

Harry Potter had only ever seen the spoiled child throwing a tantrum when he interacted with Draco, but there was so much more to him. He was cool, collected, and dangerous. It wasn't something the Malfoy heir flaunted, but Harry knew he was right.

But Harry Potter was always able to destroy Draco's perfect control. It was a heady thought.

Finally giving in to his desire, Harry reached out one hand and trailed a finger down the side of Draco's face. He felt like his nerve endings were dancing throughout his body from touching his mate. He smiled when Draco turned his face slightly into the touch before beginning to stir. Harry dropped his hand and disappeared quickly before he could be caught. The only hint that he had been there was the slight fluttering of Draco's bed curtains.

* * *

A few hours later, Blaise and Theo found Harry sitting outside near the lake with the Forbidden Forest at his back. He was staring off into space while absently flicking debris into the water.

"I forgot to give this to you yesterday," Blaise said, handing Harry a letter as he sat down next to his friend. Theo sat down on Harry's other side and looked at the letter curiously.

"Wonderful," Harry said with a smile when he recognized the familiar handwriting of his Father. Harry quickly slit open the letter to read. As he unfolded the page, he was momentarily struck by a feeling of distress due to his separation from his Father. For a moment, he swore he could smell his Father's scent on the breeze coming from the forest.

He shook himself out of his melancholy thoughts before reading the letter. With each word, his expression became more mischievous.

_Dearest Henry,_

_I hope things are going well this school term and you are conducting yourself appropriately. I look forward to hearing many stories upon your return home._

_An old acquaintance of yours has requested a meeting on All Hallows Eve. I do so hope you can find a way to attend._

_Au revoir,_

_Tristan Renard_

Voldemort had finally contacted the vampires. Harry could finally begin to move on his revenge against the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters.

Including Severus Snape.

"Would you like to explain your shit-eating grin?" Theo asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Your former master would like to meet with the vampires," Harry smirked. "Father has been gracious enough to let me attend the meeting alone."

"Alone?" Theo asked, sounding nervous. "I know you're powerful Harry, and I don't worry about you in a confrontation with the Dark Lord, but what about the other Death Eaters that will be in attendance, such as myself?"

"You'll be there?" Harry asked, distracted for a moment. "Even though it will be during school and not the holidays?"

"Yes, of course," Theo said. "We are expected to attend no matter what. There are passages out of the castle that we have been instructed how to use to come and go."

Harry narrowed his eyes for a moment. Passages? _Fucking Pettigrew_, Harry snarled internally. He had forgotten about the rat. How could he forget about him?

He had lumped all the Death Eaters together in his mind, but Pettigrew deserved something special. He had betrayed Harry's parents. He had gotten Sirius thrown in prison and taken away another member of Harry's family. He had brought the Dark Lord back by cutting Harry open and using his blood.

Harry would have to think carefully on how to pay the sniveling coward back.

"These are secret passages that lead to Hogsmeade?" Harry questioned, wanting confirmation.

"Yes," Theo answered, giving him a suspicious look.

"If Voldemort knows of these passages, why has he not invaded the school?" Harry questioned, truly curious.

"He does not believe the passages are practical," Theo shrugged. "It is unlikely that Dumbledore would not be alerted to a horde of Death Eaters in Hogsmeade and we would be easy to pick off as we entered through the passages one at a time."

"So he is not completely insane then," Harry mused. "Could have fooled me."

"Those lucid moments are few and far between," Theo responded with a smile. "I'm sure the worst you think of Death Eaters is not bad enough."

"Perhaps," Harry said noncommittally. "But back to your original concern, you need not worry about me. I will be more than capable of handling myself. You shall see. It will be quite amusing for you, as you are no longer a targeted Death Eater."

"How unfortunate," Blaise snarked, but Harry could tell he was joking.

"In the meantime," Harry said, before Theo could respond, "I have something for you to do Theo."

"Of course," Theo said.

"I would like you to monitor Draco," Harry said in a dangerous voice. "You are aware of the problems he is having with children from other Dark families?"

"I am," Theo said slowly.

"He does not need monitoring, Harry," Blaise cut in. "As you have seen, he is more than capable of taking care of himself."

"I do know this," Harry said with a glare, "but I cannot be with Draco at all times at the moment. Nor can I completely curb my instinct to protect him at the moment. It will appear less suspicious if Theo is keeping an eye on him. Draco will assume that Theo is watching for his chance to challenge Draco as others have but I do not think he will act until Theo makes a threatening move toward him."

"So you want your mate to be on edge at all times because one of his _dormmates_ might attack him unexpectedly?" Blaise asked incredulously.

"Of course not," Harry growled. "But as I said, I cannot be with him at all times. This is the best option to make sure he remains safe."

Blaise was observing him with narrowed eyes. Finally he said, "You are avoiding your mate. Again. What happened?"

"Nothing for you to concern yourself with," Harry replied stiffly.

"Whatever it is, fix it," Blaise scolded sternly with an irritated sigh. "This tension between the two of you is becoming stressful for me."

"I'm working on it," Harry growled. "It is not as easy for me as it is for other vampires. I actually have to worry about my human past with my mate whereas the majority of vampires do not. This is foreign territory for me."

"Well, you best hurry, or you may lose your chance," Theo advised. "I do not see Draco as the kind of man to sit around and wait. He may choose another if he feels you are not an option."

Harry growled and felt his fangs descend. That was unacceptable. His mate would not be with another.

"Calm down, Harry," Blaise said smoothly. "That won't happen as long as you fix whatever has happened and make your claim on Draco. So stop hiding and do something."

"I will!" Harry exclaimed. "Leave me be."

"Perhaps we should return to the castle for lunch now," Theo suggested while standing up. The others followed him back to the castle, Harry with a scowl and Blaise with sidelong glance and smile in Harry's direction.

It wasn't often that Blaise got to see a vampire lose their cool so thoroughly.

* * *

Hermione was spying. After her conversation with Harry the night before, she needed to figure out what was going on with Neville.

The boy was so much more jumpy than usual. He seemed as though he had lost even more confidence than before, and Hermione hadn't thought he had any to lose. But she was wrong. He was a mess now; completely isolated from everyone else and with a wild look of panic in his eyes. Hermione wondered how it wasn't completely obvious to everyone who looked at him.

He kept glancing at a watch on his wrist in an almost compulsive manner. She saw his shoulders twitch every time someone's voice got closer to him or became louder for a moment. She was genuinely worried about his health.

Suddenly, Neville stood up and his gaze darted about the room like a frightened rabbit before he stumbled toward the portrait hole.

Hermione was up and after him in a flash, clutching a few books to her chest as if she were merely heading toward the library. Not an unusual destination for her after all. She slipped out of the portrait hole a few moments after Neville. She ditched her books behind a suit of armor after casting a charm to conceal them from sight.

She wished desperately that she had Harry's invisibility cloak at that moment. It would be so much easier to follow Neville. Though Neville was by no means stealthy in his movements and his own footsteps drowned out any noise Hermione made on her much lighter feet. She couldn't have an invisibility cloak, but made she could have the next best thing.

She paused for a moment before quickly casting a Disillusionment Charm on herself. A cold tickling sensation trickled down her body as the spell took effect. She shivered in discomfort for a moment before looking down at herself. She could see nothing unless she moved, and then her form appeared to look like a heat haze.

She realized Neville had halted and turned around when she had spoken the words of the spell. She held completely still as he glanced nervously around the hall behind him before taking off again. After a moment, Hermione resumed her chase.

Eventually it became apparent that they were heading toward the Headmaster's office. Hermione would not be able to follow him up there. She bit her lip as she debated with herself.

After speaking with Harry, she had naturally gone to the library this morning to research any spells that could help her with spying. As a result, she had found herself flicking through books of a darker variety. She had the perfect spell to use right now, but did she want to perform a Dark spell?

She saw Neville giving the password to the gargoyle ahead of her and with no more time to think, she cast the spell at her housemate.

"_Exaudiam vos_," she whispered and watched as her spell wrapped around Neville. Almost immediately, she heard the sounds of his frantic breathing coming from her wand as he stepped onto the moving staircase.

Alarmed, Hermione glanced around quickly before dashing into a nearby classroom and erecting privacy and locking charms. She settled into a chair, determined to listen to what Neville was up to with Dumbledore.

* * *

Neville knocked on the Headmaster's door before entering after being given permission to do so. He stepped slowly into the old man's office and walked toward the chair in front of his desk that Neville knew was meant for him.

After taking a seat, he nervously looked up at the man that was in charge of fighting against the forces of the Dark. Of saving them all. He felt the familiar awe and terror that he was apparently an important part of that fight as well now.

"Neville, my boy, how are you?" Dumbledore asked genially with his grandfatherly smile.

"I'm good, sir," Neville replied with a shy smile. He felt so insignificant in the other man's presence. Especially now that the older man expected something from him.

_But I can do this_, Neville thought fiercely. _I owe it to everyone, but especially Harry, to do my best and make this work_. He thought of the confrontation he had been a part of the previous year with the Death Eaters at the Department of Mysteries and his determination to be stronger intensified.

"That is good to hear," Dumbledore said with a gentle smile. "Now are you ready for more of the lessons we've been having?"

"Yes, of course, sir," Neville responded.

"Good," Dumbledore said, "but before we begin, I have some things we need to discuss. Things I hadn't told you about before."

"O-okay, sir," Neville said nervously.

"I informed you before of the prophesy and that you or Harry could have fulfilled the terms," Dumbledore began. "Due to Harry's… death, the Wizarding world can only hope that I was mistaken in believing him to be the chosen child of the prophesy and that you can save us. But we must keep you secret, because we do not want Voldemort to turn his attentions on you."

Neville flinched when he heard the Dark Lord's name but said, "No, I d-definitely don't."

"The most important thing you will learn from me is how Voldemort is to be defeated," Dumbledore explained. "I have recently gained information that confirmed a theory I had been pondering. You must not share this information, Neville. Not with anyone, no matter what. We cannot risk the Dark finding out and Voldemort being alerted to our discovery."

"I won't say anything, sir," Neville agreed fervently.

"Very good, my boy," Dumbledore smiled at him. "I am only going to give you a quick overview of the situation. Believe me when I say this is not information that you want to know.

"Voldemort has, more or less, gained immortality as he has always wanted." Neville gasped in horror, but Dumbledore continued, "It is reversible, however. He created objects called Horcruxes. These objects are the foulest of magic, they are truly evil. One must be morally devoid to be able to create such abominations."

"W-what are they?" Neville stuttered, wondering if he really wanted to know.

"They are objects that a wizard can use to house a part of their soul," Dumbledore said slowly, watching the young man in front of him pale in horror. "This is of course after that wizard splits his soul by murdering in cold-blood. It is truly monstrous, what he has done. Before he began this process, Voldemort was already corrupted, but this would have destroyed his humanity. Made him more of a creature than a man."

Neville cringed. He felt like his skin was crawling at the thought of what You- Know-Who had done. His mind was filled with feelings of darkness and terror. For a moment, he thought he even saw a black snake in the corner of the room but when he looked again, there was nothing there. Just his mind playing tricks on him.

"S-so, You-Know-Who h-has a H-horcrux?" Neville asked, wishing he felt braver.

"Not just one," Dumbledore said sadly. "I believe he made six intentionally and one by accident that he was not aware of."

"He made one by accident?" Neville asked in a high pitched voice. "How?"

"It doesn't matter," Dumbledore reassured. "That one has been destroyed, as have two others, leaving only four more. I know the identity of three of them and the fourth I have a guess."

"Three g- you- uhm- w-what are the ones you know?" Neville asked in a high voice.

"I will show you, in my pensieve, two of them in a moment," Dumbledore assured. "The third, I believe is his snake Nagini. I would have shown this information to Harry but… I was mistaken, apparently."

Neville wasn't so sure, but he wasn't going to protest. Because if he wasn't the one to help, then their world was truly lost. He listened to Dumbledore explain how to use a pensieve before stepping inside the memories of the past.

Hermione was frozen in her classroom after their conversation. Horcruxes? Did Harry know about these things or did he die before Dumbledore explained anything?

And Neville was being used. She sighed in irritation. That old man really was throwing him to the wolves. It was scary how desperate she could tell he had become. She wondered if anyone else had noticed. Admittedly, she would be desperate too if she were not fully confident in Harry's ability to keep her safe. She felt like she was on the winning side and it wasn't with any wizards.

What did that say about her?

She shook her head to clear those thoughts. She had found out what Harry wanted to know and then some. Perhaps she would be able to share information with him that he didn't know yet. She debated cancelling the spell on Neville. After a moment, she did. She could always cast it again later if need be.

She would find Harry tomorrow, if she could, and tell him that a new Boy-Who-Lived was being trained.

* * *

_**The End of a Hero**_

_The Boy-Who-Lived Remembered_

_By Rita Skeeter_

_Today the Wizarding world grieves for the life of their Savior. Thought to be missing, it has come to light that Harry Potter, our hero, is dead. In these dark times, the news of death is always devastating, but the death of the Boy-Who-Lived is unthinkable._

_Let us learn a lesson from our Savior, fellow wizards and witches. For with his death, we may reflect upon his life, and the great courage he showed in his passion to save us._

_Harry Potter was raised, not by his magical guardian Albus Dumbledore, but by his mother's muggle sister, Petunia Dursley. For any of our kind who have met Mrs. Dursley, it is safe to say that a more magic-hating muggle would be hard to find. Constantly neglected and unappreciated, our Savior grew up in the harshest of environments. And yet he remained pure and loving._

_His time at Hogwarts was a dream and a nightmare. For even in our world, Mr. Potter was always fighting for his life, while still thinking about everyone else first._

"_I remember him when we first met," a source close to the Boy-Who-Lived shared with me. "He was so small, so much smaller than the rest of us. It was obvious that he had not been taken care of the way he should have been. But no one wanted to see that and his presence was so strong that it was easy to overlook. Goodness and love were almost a tangible force around him. _

_I know his relative's tried to keep him in the dark for years, smothering his light. But even keeping him locked in a cupboard under their stairs for the majority of his life couldn't break Harry. He persevered._

_Our time at Hogwarts together, Harry was always more concerned for his friends than for himself. He cared deeply for every person he encountered and wanted to help protect us no matter the cost to himself._

_His death was a tragedy of the most unjust kind. Harry's life was taken away before he was allowed to live. If everyone fought even a fraction of the amount Harry did, we would not need to be saved."_

_The goblins at Gringotts have confirmed that the Potter vaults have transferred into the care of another, who they would not name, as would be expected when our Savior died. His cause of death is unknown at this time, and remains a dark mystery. Though I could not discover what became of our beloved Boy-  
Who-Lived, I was determined to discover if my sources details of his life were true._

_The house of Mrs. Dursley and her family was empty, their mysterious deaths adding to that of our Savior's. But unlike Mr. Potter, their deaths should not be mourned, for the cupboard under the stairs was revealed when the house was searched. A tiny cot, barely big enough for a child, was crammed into the small space along with a small handful of broken toys. There was not a single picture within the house to hint that a little boy named Harry Potter lived there along with his aunt, uncle, and cousin._

_The whole picture was a heart wrenching one; to think of our Savior growing up alone, in the dark, and forgotten. I must ask why Albus Dumbledore left Harry Potter to be raised by those who could never understand or appreciate him, instead of those who could have loved him. _

_His godfather, Sirius Black, was sent to jail without a trial, though our Leader against the dark of You-Know-Who could have protested. Perhaps the man was guilty, but we shall never know. Our Savior could have been deprived the wonderful childhood he deserved during his short life._

_So, today we mourn the loss of our Savior and the injustice that he was served in life. But let us always remember that he never stopped fighting, and that we shouldn't either._

The article was ridiculously overdone and sentimental, not at all like Rita would usually write. But he supposed that the death of the Boy-Who-Lived deserved a break from the norm. He wondered who she used as a source, or if she merely pretended to have one so she could use the personal information he had disclosed.

Harry sat back and observed his peers while he munched on his Monday morning breakfast. The expressions around him ranged from horror to anger to despair. He saw a few attempting to suppress gleeful expressions and he assumed they were from families who supported the Dark Lord. He glanced up and down the Slytherin table and was surprised by what he saw. There was the poorly hidden glee, but there was also uncertainty and disgust on a few faces. Many of these children had been taught to hate Harry Potter, but they seemed unsure if they should rejoice in his death when his life had been so bad. The disgust was easy to explain; the thought of how muggles had treated a wizard.

He glanced at Dumbledore, who was currently reading the paper, and watched as the old man's face paled with each word. He saw McGonagall lean toward him with a thunderous expression and start to whisper furiously. He smirked. He didn't expect this article to ruin Dumbledore, but it was a beginning. The seeds had been planted; he just had to nurture them and let them grow.

He finally swept his gaze to his mate, the reaction he found himself to be the most curious about. Draco's face was hard to read; it was a mix of disbelief, anger, confusion and… sadness? He wondered what the other boy was thinking to evoke such feelings.

"Do you think this article is true?" Draco finally asked out loud the question everyone was thinking.

Before Harry could find a way to encourage their belief, Blaise replied, "I would not be surprised in the slightest. It's fairly obvious now, when you think about it."

"Why do you say that?" Pansy Parkinson asked, looking eager at the thought of gossip.

"Perhaps you were too blinded with your preconceived notions to see," Blaise sneered disdainfully, "but Potter was covered in scars. I remember thinking that he looked unhealthy when I first saw him. It was sickening how thin he was. It is disgraceful that you did not notice; a real Slytherin would have."

Harry wanted to laugh at the shame-faced look on the other Slytherins faces, but he was more interested in his mate's response. Part of his wanted to smack Blaise for subtly hurting his mate, but another part wanted to see if Draco Malfoy cared at all, even the tiniest bit, about Harry Potter.

"Why did you not mention anything, Zabini?" Draco asked coldly. Harry was confused when he saw the regret and anxiety in his gaze to contradict his callous tone.

"Would you have listened or cared; so busy following your father's every word?" Blaise accused. Harry squeezed his thigh in warning to moderate his tone. "The Boy-Who-Lived is dead, though. Seems the Dark should be rejoicing. Though it was unnervingly Slytherin of Potter to keep such a past completely hidden, don't you think?"

Blaise stood up to leave the Great Hall and Harry moved to follow. After a moment of hesitation, Theo got up as well. As the three of them walked towards the doors, Harry took one last look at the Slytherins. It was interesting that none of them, other than Pansy, were immediately excited about his death. They seemed like they didn't know how to feel.

Perhaps none of them had really thought about what it would be like to see a fellow classmate missing, that they had interacted with, and know they were dead. That perhaps their families had caused it.

Perhaps they were just now realizing what war could cost them.

He flicked his gaze to the Head Table and saw that Dumbledore had already disappeared. Harry gave a cold smirk as he exited the Great Hall. It seemed the old man wasn't prepared to defend himself.

* * *

Ciaran was shocked out of his light doze when the door to Dumbledore's office burst open far sooner than he had come to expect. He felt a moment of excitement as he tasted the frantic scent of panic and desperation on the air when he flicked his tongue. Perhaps his master had finally made his move.

Ciaran had been finding it more difficult to stay active recently. More often, he was prone to napping and dozing while his body tried to conserve his stores of energy from his last meal. He was thankful that the one with the white fur kept his office toasty warm otherwise Ciaran would have begun to feel the pull of hibernation long ago.

But it seemed he was finally going to gain the information his master wanted. He peeked out from the books he had settled behind this morning to observe the old man pacing his room and became aware that his lips were moving.

"How did that woman find out?" he heard in a muttered whisper. Ciaran flicked his tongue and tasted anger in the mix of scents now.

"I did nothing wrong," Dumbledore whispered. "I did what had to be done. One life to save them all. I am not the bad guy; I am the only one who had the strength to make the hard decision.

"If the public had known what the boy was capable of, they would have wanted to make sure his power was controlled as well," Dumbledore fumed to himself. "Rita makes it sound like I abused the boy. But his muggle relatives were really the only option.

"Remus could have easily killed him by accident during the full moon. That was a risk I could not allow. Severus would have been worse than the Dursley's, and perhaps Harry would have dabbled in the Dark Arts like his guardian then? No, that would have been a disaster, there was no good outcome with that situation. And Sirius… well he was hardly a role model. Harry needed to learn obedience, not how to cause endless amounts of trouble and disrespect authority. Though his muggle relatives were hard on him, it showed Harry how precious the Wizarding world was when he found such a better life here and that it must be protected from Tom!

"No, no, I did the right thing, especially after I learned of the prophesy," Dumbledore paused for a moment before falling into his chair behind his desk. "Harry really was the best option given the clues in the prophesy. It appears I was wrong; only the Dark Lord should have been able to kill him! So Neville must have been the boy all along. I wasted so much time convincing Lily and James that the house in Godric's Hollow was a better option than their manor. Who would think a pureblood would chose a little cottage over their manor with bloodwards?

"I am lucky that Neville survived Bellatrix and her companions when they visited the Longbottoms. The boy may seem weak but he has to have hidden depths that will show themselves in time. He has to be the one!"

Dumbledore pounded a fist against his desk at the end of his last statement in a moment of unrestrained anger, though Ciaran could taste the fear the old man was trying to cover. A knock suddenly came at the door and Ciaran slipped out from the books to slither behind a table next to the door. When Dumbledore bid the person to enter after composing himself, Ciaran darted out the door just before it closed behind the visitor, taking the first chance he could to escape.

He was sure he had learned all he could before the interruption. Now he just had to inform his master.

* * *

Before Harry, Blaise and Theo got too far away from the Great Hall, Hermione came rushing up behind them.

"Harry!" she hissed softly when she was only a few feet from them. He turned to her and she said, "Can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Of course," Harry replied. He turned to Blaise and Theo and said, "You guys go on ahead, I'll meet you in class."

As the two boys nodded and walked away, Hermione grabbed Harry's hand and dragged him down a passage out of sight from the Great Hall.

"I followed Neville," Hermione began, "and he went to Dumbledore's office. Obviously, I couldn't follow him up there, but I cast a spell on him so that I could hear him and those he spoke to from a distance."

"A Dark spell, Hermione?" Harry teased for a moment. But Hermione didn't smile back.

"You were right," she said angrily, "Dumbledore is using him. He's convinced Neville that he must have been the Boy-Who-Lived all along. Now he's training him, though I don't know what that all entails, but I do know part of it is giving Neville information."

"What kind of information?" Harry asked slowly when he saw the nervous expression on Hermione's face.

"Do you know what a Horcrux is, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," Harry growled. Hermione looked surprised for a moment, but she continued nonetheless.

"Well, he's told Neville that Voldemort has six Horcruxes. And an accidental one that he didn't know he had created," Hermione said. "I'm not sure how Dumbledore knew of an accidental one, but he has assured Neville that it has already been destroyed."

"That fucking bastard," Harry hissed quietly, so angry he was almost beyond words.

"What? What do you know?" Hermione asked.

"I was that accidental Horcrux," Harry explained angrily. "Tristan and I discovered it over the summer after I died. We weren't sure if Dumbledore knew or not about me, but evidently he did. Which means-"

"He was planning on you dying in the end," Hermione whispered, horrified.

"Yes," Harry hissed. He felt himself losing control over his anger again. He thought he had finally learned to control this. He thought he had been prepared to hear this truth. But apparently he was not.

"Harry, calm down," Hermione said, looking fairly alarmed when she felt his magic begin to crackle around them.

"I don't know if I can," Harry said in a strained voice.

Unexpectedly, Hermione threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a fierce hug. He felt her lips on his neck as she gave him a kiss there and he felt his instincts becoming distracted. He wrapped his arms around her as well and buried his nose in her hair, hoping that her scent would be as calming as her pure blood.

_Don't think about her blood_, Harry thought frantically.

After a few moments, Harry felt more in control and he pulled away from Hermione and looked down at her.

"Thank you," he said, in a surprisingly hoarse voice. "That was risky of you, though."

"Yes, well," Hermione flushed, "I was hoping that perhaps sexual contact or just close contact might override your anger. It seems to be a rather intrinsic part of vampire behavior, after all."

Harry gave her a seductive smile, which he lost almost immediately when he saw who was standing at the end of their secluded hallway. Draco gave Harry one cold glare before he stalked off out of sight.

Harry let out a pained little moan. Of course Draco would find him in a compromising position with someone he greatly disliked.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, concerned.

"Draco just saw us," Harry sighed. "Who knows what he thought of seeing us embracing. I'm already in trouble with him for the other night."

"Oh Harry," Hermione said in exasperation. "You were hopeless as a human with relationships. I thought being a vampire meant you had some instincts when it came to this kind of stuff now."

"I do," Harry said defensively. "But… maybe I'm being too human about this mating stuff, but I don't feel like I should approach Draco as a vampire normally would."

"You are hurting yourself, and your mate," Hermione scolded. "You need to fix it. Immediately. Especially before Draco decides to take out his anger on _me_."

Harry groaned. She was right; his mate hardly needed an excuse to torment Hermione and it seemed like Harry just couldn't help giving him reasons to dislike his friends even more.

* * *

Harry watched his mate pass through the common room and out the portrait hole without even a glance in his direction. He was definitely in an even stickier position after this morning. It hurt but he felt too terrified to confront Draco about what was going on between them. His mate could hurt him so much more once he told him about his past and was rejected anyway…

But he knew he would tell Draco, he just needed to find the right time. Perhaps he could covet his mate's time this weekend? He needed time, lots of time, to keep Draco to himself and hash out their issues.

He suddenly felt something wrapping around his leg. Before he could react, he heard a familiar voice below him.

{Master, I have returned} Ciaran greeted. Harry waited for a moment to make sure the snake was completely wrapped around his leg before he took off toward his dorm without responding. He saw Theo get up and follow him from the corner he had been resting in. Blaise was already in their dorms napping and Harry hoped there was no one else in there so the three of them could be alone.

He barged into his dorm and scanned the area quickly before confirming that Blaise was the only one in the room. He paused while he waited for Theo to dash into the room behind him before he shut the door and locked it. Blaise had been roused when they entered and he cast a sleepy glare toward them before sitting up straighter when he saw the expression on Harry's face.

Harry made his way to Blaise's bed and sat down, closely followed by Theo. He reached his hand down so Ciaran could move from his leg onto his arm. Blaise and Theo's eyes widened when they saw the snake and a look on anticipation came over both their features.

Obviously, Harry's charm to conceal him had worn off over time, but Ciaran was more than capable of hiding himself.

{I have missed you, Ciaran. What have you learned?} Harry asked once they were all settled.

{Your Headmaster was most displeased this morning} Ciaran began. {He wasn't able to say much before he was interrupted but I think I got enough information}

{What did he say?} Harry pushed.

{Basically, he knew of the prophesy and felt he had to ensure that it would come to pass} Ciaran explained. {Apparently your parents were convinced to stay in Godric's Hallow instead of their manor because Dumbledore reasoned that no one would expect a pureblood to stay somewhere other than a family manor with bloodwards}

{That's no more than I was expecting to hear} Harry growled. Blaise and Theo gave him questioning looks at the anger on his face, but he held up a hand that he would explain in a moment.

{He more or less believes that he was right in sending you to your relative's house} Ciaran continued. {He said a man named Remus could have killed you, Severus could have turned you Dark or treated you worse, and Sirius couldn't be trusted to be a good guardian and teach you respect and obedience. He does not believe he did a bad thing. I believe his words were something about one life for everyone else's}

Harry growled more loudly this time. He quickly filled in his two companions about what Dumbledore had said. They both looked angry by the time he was done and Harry was happy to see they were indignant on his behalf.

{Ciaran} Harry said as he thought of his conversation with Hermione. {Has Dumbeldore been meeting with a boy named Neville and discussing things about the war?}

{Yes, he has} Ciaran said. {Just yesterday, he informed the boy about objects called Horcruxes}

Harry closed his eyes and suppressed his anger on his own this time. How could the old man think this was an acceptable back up plan? Were lives really so immaterial to him at this point that he didn't even blink when he had to _know_ that Neville wasn't the boy he needed?

As much as he didn't want to be distracted from his main goal, he knew he was going to have to do something about Neville Longbottom; before he became another casualty.

_**Exaudiam vos **_**roughly translates to "hear you"**


	12. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any part of the Harry Potter fandom nor do I make any money from writing this story.

**Warnings:** None

**Chapter 11**

Draco was very confused. And hurt, if he was honest with himself. But as much as he wanted to forget about Henry Renard, he couldn't.

And that made him angrier than anything else about this situation.

He still felt that pull toward the other boy that he couldn't explain. He had contemplated a casual affair with someone else, but it felt wrong. The thought of someone else touching his skin in a sexual manner made him feel like bugs were crawling over him. Was he destined to become celibate? That was unacceptable.

Even more frustrating, he caught Henry watching him sometimes. His expressions were always different when Draco noticed; longing, worry, lust, frustration. Draco wasn't going to confront him, however. He knew, he _knew_, that Henry knew he wanted him. He was even fairly sure Henry wanted him back. But the other boy was keeping his distance.

And Draco kept seeing him with others.

Including Hermione Granger. That was… odd, to say the least. But mostly Draco just found it infuriating. He had no idea when those two would have met, or why. And he was surprised Granger seemed to be so close to a Slytherin. There was something there that he was missing. It didn't make sense.

The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Richter, walked into the classroom then and Draco tried to force himself to pay attention to his professor instead of the dark haired boy sitting a row in front of him and across the aisle.

"Good afternoon class," Professor Richter greeted as he set his things on his desk. "This term we have been covering some of the darker creatures that we share our world with. The first week we learned of dementors, who feed on our happiness and are capable of eating our souls. We then continued onto incubi and succubi, who feed on sexual energy and can invade our dreams. Today, we will begin our discussion on vampires, who feed on our blood. Can anyone tell me something about a vampire's nature?"

There was a moment of silence before a few people raised their hands. Draco was surprised when Hermione Granger was not one of them; from her expression he got the impression that she was uncomfortable.

"Vampires are completely controlled by their bloodlust," Finnegan from Gryffindor answered when the professor called on him. "They are single-minded in their desire to consume blood when in the presence of a human."

"Indeed," the professor agreed with a nod. "Five points to Gryffindor, Mr. Finnegan. What else? What makes them so frightening, other than their diet?" This time he gestured for Pansy to answer.

"They used to be human," Pansy replied simply.

"Yes, yes, exactly," Professor Richter agreed approvingly. "Take five points for Slytherin, Miss Parkinson. Can anyone explain why this fact is so disturbing?" A few students raised their hands again and the professor called on Parvati Patil this time.

"It's scary because it is like seeing a beast in the body of a human, someone who could have been a friend, but instead must be seen as an enemy," Patil replied. "Any instinct or reason that you would feel cannot be expected from a vampire. They do not think like us or react like us. It is scary because it is a fate that _you_ could face if attacked by a vampire; to lose your personality and your humanity."

"Most definitely," Professor Richter nodded. "Five more points to Gryffindor. Now, let's talk about behavior. Vampires are predators; perhaps you could consider them near the top of the food chain, since they hunt us. As a result, they are rather territorial. They do not do well when in a group and such groups will frequently dissolve into lethal battles for dominance. It is one good thing we wizards and witches can depend on. We can relax in the knowledge that we need not worry about a takeover by vampires since they cannot work together. They are lone creatures who live only for the hunt of their prey.

"How do vampires make other vampires if they don't get along?" Weasley asked. "Can they make baby vampires?"

"No, of course not," Professor Richter shook his head. "A human will turn into a vampire if they are bitten by one. If a vampire does not want to create another of their kind, they will destroy the human's body after they are done feeding."

"But sir," Draco said, having finally found something to add to the conversation that didn't add up to him, "if vampires are little more than rabid beasts, how would they determine which humans to turn and which to destroy?"

"From what we know of vampires," the professor began, looking at Draco while he spoke, "we have to assume that there is no rhyme or reason to their decisions. It is completely arbitrary. Though, we can safely say that they destroy far more often than they create. Vampires are quite violent and seem to thrive in carnage and bloodshed."

Draco's attention was drawn to Nott when he heard a smothered noise that sounded suspiciously like a snort. He was sitting directly across the aisle from Draco and though his expression was mostly impassive, Draco was fairly sure he detected some amusement. To add to his confusion, Henry glanced back at Theo with a raised eyebrow before focusing on the front again. Against his will, Draco's attention when back to Henry.

The dark haired boy's eyebrows were raised the slightest bit while the rest of his face was completely blank. His mouth twitched every once in a while and Draco couldn't decide if he was trying not to smile or frown.

"Professor?" Dean Thomas called from the back of the room. When Richter acknowledged him, he asked, "You said vampires feed on blood and are rabid but can't they- uhm- aren't they rather sexual as well? Don't they seduce humans as a method of- uh- luring their prey?"

A few students sniggered at the question, mostly purebloods, while others looked genuinely interested in the answer. Professor Richter made shushing noises to call the class' attention back to him.

"May I assume you are a muggleborn, Mr. Thomas?" the professor asked neutrally, without any hint of distain. Thomas nodded his head slowly and Richter continued, "You are asking about the muggle phenomenon of romanticizing monsters, then."

A few purebloods made small noises of disgust before the professor waved them to silence once again. Draco leaned forward slightly, interested in hearing about why muggles would even know about vampires or any other monsters.

"Recently, muggles have made it a habit to create stories where dreadful monsters are really more like lost souls who just need love to set them straight," the professor began. "It was not always like this, however. There was a time in the past where muggles were aware of the creatures that roam the night and feed on humans. They had their own crusades to stake vampires, shoot werewolves, and even burn witches.

"Witches and wizards had quite a time attempting to contain these creatures and prevent the exposure of our world. Their efforts paid off, and now muggles only consider vampires and the like to be mythological beings and not a reality. As a result, over time, they have also begun to romanticize these creatures. There is rarely much horror associated with them in their stories.

"That is not to say that they are not fearsome, but in muggle stories they still retain their humanity, to an extent, and are able to be 'saved', when we know in reality that there is no humanity left within them to save or uncover. They are not human and do not sympathize with us. We should not make the mistake of sympathizing with them just because they look like us if our paths ever cross."

The room was filled with the scratching of quills. Draco glanced at Henry again and saw that his brow was furrowed in a frown as he absently took notes while glancing at their professor every once in a while. As he watched, he saw Blaise, who was sitting beside Henry, reach over and subtly grasp his thigh. Henry's attention was drawn to his friend for a moment. Draco couldn't see Blaise's face, but he saw Henry give a tight smile to whatever he saw before turning back to his parchment with a politely interested look on his face now.

Draco wasn't really sure what to make of the reactions he was witnessing from his dormmates. Slytherins weren't ones for showing much outward reaction and he couldn't think of an explanation for Henry's.

Then Draco remembered that Henry had told him that he had been raised by muggles, but had never made any mention of his parents. Were they alive? Were they dead? Had Henry been one of the rare survivors of a vampire attack? Draco wasn't sure how else to explain his tense posture.

His thoughts drifted back to vampires again. They sounded like the kind of allies the Dark Lord would like to gain. Draco shuddered at the thought of an army of bloodthirsty vampires ripping through the Wizarding world until the Dark Lord took control. There wouldn't be much of a world left to take over, then.

Draco really hoped vampires did not form communities that the Dark Lord could appeal to. His family was in enough trouble already; he had no desire to meet any vampires that might ally themselves with Voldemort, who would feed his own followers to them as soon as his enemies.

"Sir?" Draco turned his head to see Granger finally participate in the conversation.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" Progessor Richter asked.

"If vampire are unable to control themselves around humans, how is it that we have any information about them at all?" she asked, her expression very intent like the answer was beyond valuable.

"Well, it is true that vampires will kill humans indiscriminately," Richter began, "and they don't leave survivors. Our information comes from the rare occurrences when a witch or wizard escapes an attack. This is really only possible when there is a group of magical folk, allowing some to escape while the vampire, or in very rare cases vampires, are busy with other members of the group."

Granger's face looked oddly skeptical while Draco noticed Blaise lean toward Henry and whisper something that made the other boy smirk briefly.

"Alright, in the last portion of our class today, I would like you all to turn to page 97 in your textbooks and read the chapter on vampires," Professor Richter announced. "Also, you are all to write a two foot essay on vampires; include their appearance, behavior, habits, their history, methods of warding them off, etc. Bonus points if you can effective incorporate how dementors, incubi and sucubi, and vampires are similar. Essays are due one week from today at the beginning of class. Get to work."

Draco slowly pulled his textbook toward him to begin reading, determined to learn everything he could about these dark creatures in the event his path ever did cross one; he would not be unprepared.

* * *

Draco was heading to lunch when he heard a number of footsteps approaching him quickly from behind. His shoulder blades tensed and he gripped his wand tightly; he would not be caught off guard again if he was to be confronted by more power hungry children.

"Malfoy," he heard his name being called behind him and he glanced back to see Braden with two other boys. He sighed in irritation before stopping and turning around. He wasn't about to run from these morons.

"So we meet again," Braden said with a smirk that Draco was sure he thought was condescending, but really just made the boy look like he had eaten something sour. "Though this time, you won't be able to pull any of your fancy little party tricks to save you."

Fancy party tricks? Draco just sneered at him, thinking of just walking away to let Braden know how little he thought of him. Before he could turn away, however, two things happened almost at the same time.

First, Braden and his two companions raised their wands at the same time, clearly about to hex Draco. Secondly, a moment after their wands were raised, all three boys were hit with a blast of magic from behind, causing them to fall forward and lose their grips on their wands.

A moment later, Draco saw all three wands fly through the air and land in the hand of-

"Nott," Draco said coolly, "whatever are you doing here?"

"Just helping out a fellow snake," Nott shrugged with a small smile.

"Oh?" Draco asked dangerously, "And what would you have in return for such assistance that I did not require?"

"So suspicious, Draco," Nott scolded in a pleasant tone. "Must I have a darker motivation to assist a friend? Perhaps I just felt us Slytherins should stick together more."

"Perhaps," Draco agreed, not believing him at all.

"Watch your back, Malfoy," Nott turned to leave, after throwing the three wands he had caught to Draco. "Try to keep yourself safe, yeah?"

And with that, he was gone, leaving Draco wondering if Nott was an ally or an enemy with a smile.

* * *

Harry was on his way to the library, knowing he was going to have to do research to write about his own species. It was ridiculous when he thought about it; and amusing. He had had a hard time stopping himself from laughing during the lesson. He knew that vampires had hidden their true nature from humans but he hadn't realized just how successful they had been.

Funny that muggles were actually closer to the truth.

He slowed down when the section on dark creatures came into view in the library. A few of his other classmates were already browsing the titles, including his mate. He wondered what his mate thought about vampires now. Probably nothing good. Harry wondered if he was going to have to work through a stigma about vampires now as well as Draco's preconceived notions about Harry Potter.

"Finding anything useful?" Harry asked when he was standing next to Draco. The blonde boy startled before scowling at Harry.

"A bit," he said noncommittally.

"Would you like to research together?" Harry offered, hoping Draco wouldn't shoot him down right away. "Everyone is going to be trying to look at these books, at least we can cover more if we work together."

Harry really didn't care about the assignment at that moment, he just wanted to be close to his mate and try to find some way to assure him that Harry wanted him and wasn't just toying with him.

"Fine," Draco responded after a moment. "It would save time to have us both working on it."

His tone wasn't nearly as warm as it had been last time they spoke, but at least he wasn't telling Harry to get lost. He turned toward the shelves and helped Draco select a number of books that looked promising before they secured themselves a table to work on.

They each grabbed a book and started reading through it while taking notes. Occasionally they would compare the results of what they found. Harry was having a hard time not laughing at some of the things he read. He almost forgot he was researching for a homework assignment and not reading a parody about his life that was meant to be amusing. He was taking extra detailed notes. He needed to make sure he had enough information that he wouldn't add any of his own thoughts and accidentally reveal something he shouldn't.

He was brought out of his concentration when he heard Draco fail at concealing a laugh.

"What did you find?" Harry asked.

"Just this absurd fairytale meant for children about the evils of vampires," Draco explained. "I'm not even sure how this book ended up in my pile."

Harry got up and went to stand behind Draco without thinking so he could take a look at the story. He bent over Draco's shoulder and rested his hand on the table to support himself so they could both look at it. Before he really had a chance to look, though, he felt Draco stiffen and draw away slightly.

Harry's immediate reaction was to be hurt that his mate was offended by his presence but he forced himself to remember what had happened the last time they were close together. He slowly made his way back to his seat, pondering if he should pretend that he hadn't noticed Draco's physical withdrawl from him.

"What is going on, Henry?" Draco's voice was low and snapped with irritation. When Harry didn't immediately answer, Draco clarified, "What is going on between us? I cannot understand you."

"I-," Harry cut himself off, thinking about what he should say. Obviously the truth, but this was not the place to have a heart-to-heart with Draco. "I know my actions may seem contradictory, and I apologize for that. I have not been misleading you but-," he cut off again, feeling horribly nervous. "I have many things I wish to tell you. But this is not the place. Will you give me a chance to explain? This weekend?"

Draco studied him impassively for a long moment until Harry began to despair that he had waited too long. Finally, after what felt like an hour, Draco said, "Alright, I'll hear what you have to say."

Harry couldn't help the smile of relief that spread across his face.

"This Friday after dinner then?" he asked Draco. His mate nodded his agreement.

"I would like to ask you a question, before we begin working again," Draco said quietly. "Hopefully, it isn't something you wanted to wait to discuss."

"Very well," Harry said warily. "I'll answer it if I can."

"You seemed very tense during this lecture," Draco began, gesturing toward the vampire books as he spoke. "You told me once that you had been raised by muggles. I was wondering if perhaps vampires were a part of your past in some way?"

"They are," Harry said slowly, "but not in the way you're implying. My parents were killed, yes, but not by a dark creature. I would prefer to discuss this when we meet on Friday, if you could possible wait until then."

Harry was sure his expression was pleading, and Draco relented a moment later with a nod and a lightly softer expression on his face.

Harry wasn't sure how he was going to do it, but he was finally going to speak to his mate. All his cards would be on the table and there would be no going back.

* * *

Draco didn't know it, but Theo was subtly suppressing as much hostility as he could toward the blonde boy. He wasn't really the fighting type, so he much preferred to stop a problem before it began.

It wasn't hard. A few subtle threats and the problems were taken care of. It made him sneer in disgust how easy it was to intimidate the followers of the Dark Lord. And he had been one of them. It ashamed him, but he was fairly sure he hadn't been much better before meeting Harry. Perhaps he subconsciously knew that his master hadn't been strong enough and any power he gained would have had to have been done on his own, not given by the Dark Lord. He had been alone.

Though Harry was his friend, he was also Theo's new master, in a way. He had made an oath to follow Harry over all others. He didn't regret his decision at all. He was confident in Harry's abilities and, unlike his previous master, he cared about Harry's well-being. And he thought Harry cared about his as well.

It was a refreshing change from the fearful servitude that described his life under the insane Dark Lord.

Right now he was watching Draco stroll around the lake from the front of the castle. He was sitting on the ground and leaning against the wall of the castle while reading a mystery novel for fun. It was Friday after classes and he knew Harry was finally going to explain himself to Draco tonight. Theo could hardly wait; he and Blaise were about at their breaking point with Harry's evasiveness.

He hoped Draco was able to get over Harry's past and see his real personality. And forgive Harry for keeping so many secrets. He had no idea what they would do if Draco rejected him. Harry wouldn't die, but he would be terribly hurt for a long time. And Draco would have information that Theo didn't think he should be allowed to remember if he turned Harry away. There was too much at stake.

As Theo was absently watching Draco, he saw movement behind the boy in the shadows that were being created by the setting sun. He sighed in annoyance, assuming Draco was about to be challenged by more weak-minded children that he knew the other boy would be able to take care of on his own. Nevertheless, he closed his book and stood up. He would get closer to Draco to help if needed, but try to stay out of sight. He didn't need Draco to think he was stalking him.

As he got closer, he realized the movement was only one person and he snorted softly to himself, looking forward to watching Draco easily put the interloper in their place. But then he saw something that made him second guess his original assessment.

The individual was keeping to the shadows, which wasn't a surprise, but Theo was disturbed by the way they were moving. He was reminded of how Harry had moved that first time that he had followed him into the forest. It wasn't human. This person was moving with a deadly grace that only a natural predator could achieve.

Theo quickly tried to conceal himself more effectively while still sneaking toward Draco. Was Harry meeting Draco early and testing how Draco would react to a vampire?

It seemed highly unlikely and foolish beyond belief if it were true. And Theo didn't think that would be the case.

Draco's lazy stroll had taken him near the forbidden forest by now, closer to the figure moving swiftly closer to him from shadow to shadow. Theo tried to move quicker, wondering if he should shout a warning to his housemate to run back to the castle. But if it was a hostile vampire, or some other dark creature, Theo knew it would do no good except get them both killed. Though he was afraid to let anything happen to Draco on his watch, he hoped Harry would forgive him if something did happen and he had information to share.

Theo stopped behind a portion of the forest the stood out further than the rest where he could keep Draco and the stalking figure in easy sight. He was close enough now to see the expression on Draco's face. He looked deep in thought. He paused in his aimless wandering and stared off over the grounds.

Time seemed to stand still for Theo for a minute when nothing happened. Then, the figure suddenly rushed out of the shadows until they were directly behind Draco and Theo got a good look at the individual finally.

They had long, dark hair that looked wild while their figure was lithe but strong. The person was tall, taller than Draco, and the small bits of flesh that were exposed at the edges of their clothing were ghostly pale. The mysterious man wrapped a hand around Draco's mouth and his other arm went around his middle, preventing him from escaping.

Before Theo could run toward them, the mysterious figure turned their head and looked directly at him. Blood red eyes froze Theo in place while a cruel smile lit up the man's face in an expression that could never be considered friendly.

And then they were both gone.

* * *

Harry was just about to leave his dorm for dinner when Theo came sprinting in with a wild look in his eyes and panic written all over his face.

"What's wrong?" Harry demanded. "Did something happen to Draco?"

For a moment it seemed that all Theo could do was gasp for breath while he stared at Harry with wide, horrified eyes, as if he was expecting Harry to figure out what he had to say by reading it on his face. Harry was just about to go and shake the other boy until he got the information that he wanted when he finally started to speak.

"Draco's gone," Theo managed to get out. He continued before Harry could demand more information with, "I was watching him, outside, while he was wandering around. He was near the forest when he was kidnapped. By a vampire."

Harry went very still while he felt a rush of rage begin to flood his veins.

"Harry," Theo's voice sounded distressed, "he knew. The other vampire knew I was watching Draco. Before he left, he looked over at where I was hiding and smiled at me before they both disappeared. It's like he wanted me to see him!"

"Take me to where they were. Now," Harry demanded, in no mood to wait. He felt magic unexpectedly wash over him from behind and then Blaise's voice.

"I just cast a glamour on you, before you turn around and try to attack me," Blaise explained calmly. "I know you are upset, but it will be harder for you to go to your mate if you raise a panic over your obviously vampiric appearance. Though considering the fact that I can feel your magic pulsing off of you, you'll probably inadvertently shatter my illusion in the next few minutes."

Harry nodded curtly before giving Theo a sharp gesture to start moving. Harry and Blaise followed him out to the spot where Theo had seen them last. When they reached their destination, Harry stiffened before growling in outrage. He knew this scent. He recognized it intimately.

A vampire could always recognize the scent of their Sire.

**A/N:** Time to make things interesting. For anyone who is wondering, this is still a revenge fic. Don't worry, I did not abandon my original idea. You have not been mislead. Just making things more exciting…


	13. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** I own no part of the Harry Potter fandom nor do I make money from writing this story.

**Warnings:** Language and violence/blood

**Chapter 12**

Draco slowly opened his eyes, cringing slightly at the pain he felt on the side of his head and the general discomfort he felt throughout his body. He went to touch his head with his hand only to find something impeding his arm movement. He pulled a little harder, still slightly dazed and not thinking clearly. He heard the sound of metal shifting and finally realized that the object preventing him from moving was cold and hard.

He turned his head to the side and stared for a moment, trying to comprehend that he appeared to be chained to a wall. Then his last memories came back to him and he jerked upright as though he had been shocked before scanning his surroundings. Adrenaline was pumping through his veins within moments and he felt his heart was pounding loud enough to be heard in another room.

He strained his ears, desperate to detect any noise over his traitorous heart and harsh breathing that sounded far too loud. It was hard for him to make out his surroundings as they were mostly in shadow, only a torch in the wall next to him providing light. The more he strained his eyesight to penetrate the darkness the more he became sure his senses were failing him as he failed to calm himself. He thought he saw the shadows moving from the corner of his eye, only to turn his head and see nothing.

He bit his lip briefly, debating whether he should call out to see if someone was nearby or maintain his silence. He licked his suddenly dry lips, deciding that silence was his friend while he calmed himself so he could think.

He started to relax, when he really did see movement coming from the shadows in front of him. Immediately, his heart rate shot up almost painfully as he stared at the figure emerging in front of him.

If he hadn't recognized the blood red eyes for what they were, the fangs would have been a dead giveaway. He was alone in a room with a vampire. He glanced around quickly, before concluding that the vampire really did seem to be alone, before looking back at the predator in front of him.

The vampire tilted its head slightly as he observed the chained boy, and Draco was disturbed by how animalistic the gesture made the being in front of him seem. And then the creature was speaking with a mocking smirk playing on his lips.

"I'm so glad you could join me, Draco. It's nice to finally meet you."

* * *

Somehow, Theo had managed to talk Harry into taking a secret passage out of the castle grounds instead of simply throwing all caution to the wind like he wanted to and storming through the castle wards forgetting any repercussions that act might bring, such as other students seeing him.

His mate had been taken. His mate was in trouble. His mate could be hurt.

His Sire had his mate.

Harry was barely in control of his instincts at the moment. The only thoughts in his mind were finding Tristan and Draco. Tristan may be his Sire, but Draco was his mate. Even though they weren't bonded, Harry's Sire-bond to Tristan was overshadowed by his mate-bond to Draco unless the other boy rejected him. Rationally, Harry knew that he needed to attempt to reign in his instincts if he wanted to get Draco back, but it was very hard to not just let his rage take over and guide him.

He was about to enter the passage under the Whomping Willow when Blaise gripped his arm to stop him. Harry let out a growl before he could stop himself. He needed to get to his mate. Now.

"We're coming with you," Blaise said forcefully, only causing Harry to send him a deadly glare.

"And what exactly do you think you will be able to do, human, when my Sire simply takes you as well?" Harry demanded harshly, never feeling less human than he did at that moment. The two before him were so weak, they would be no match for Tristan. They lacked the speed, power, and strength that vampires had. They were prey. They would only get in the way.

Blaise paused, a pained look on his face as he realized Harry was right, before he reluctantly said, "Fine, but you will let us know immediately when you have Draco back. I mean it."

"If you insist," Harry hissed, pulling his arm from Blaise before disappearing in the blink of an eye down the passage, leaving his two friends to worry over his safety.

* * *

"Who are you?" Draco asked, feeling irritated when his voice came out as a weak croak. He scowled and tried to subtly clear his throat.

"Mmm, that is not important," the vampire said absently as he watched Draco without blinking. His fixed smile appeared slightly mad and his expression made Draco think that he was thinking about something else. "You aren't even important, if truth be told. Just a little something to start the fire," he muttered to himself.

"Why am I here, if I am so unimportant, then?" Draco asked, feeling satisfied when his voice sounded almost normal this time.

"You are important," the vampire said, confusing Draco, until he said, "but not to me. Now, I suggest you keep silent. We have a bit of a wait ahead of us, and I may be tempted to quench my thirst if you irritate me."

Draco pressed his lips together firmly, determined not to say another word until he had a plan to save himself. He hated being told what to do and giving in, but he knew now was not the time to let his pride take over. He tried to see if he could feel whether he still had his wand on him. He felt despair and hope when he saw it sitting on a table just behind the vampire. He had never attempted to summon his wand to himself, but it seemed he would get a chance to learn under pressure.

He closed his eyes and began to concentrate on his magic inside of him, hoping he would be able to master wandless, wordless magic in a few hours instead of years.

* * *

Harry appeared in his Sire's manor within moments. His magic was slowly unfurling around his body as he failed to keep it contained. He was sure his Sire felt his presence the moment he entered the premise. A moment later, his Sire was in front of him, looking at Harry with worry and confusion.

"What has happened?" Tristan asked.

"Where is my mate?" Harry growled, stepping toward Tristan threateningly.

"I do not know what you mean," Tristan said, looking even more confused. "Why would I know? Did something happen to them?"

"Do not play with me, Sire," Harry hissed. "I was having him watched, and he was seen being kidnapped. Your scent was everywhere. So I'll ask again before I force the information from you; where is Draco?"

"Are you sure it was my scent?" Tristan asked sharply. When Harry growled and crouched, preparing to pounce, Tristan suddenly darted forward to grab him and slam him on his back on the ground. He pressed his fangs to Harry's throat in warning, before asking again, "Are you sure, Harry? Was the scent exactly like mine in every way, with absolutely no differences? You need to see past your anger and really think, if you want to find your mate."

"Of course it was yours," Harry growled, while trying valiantly to break the hold his Sire had on him. "Your scent and a hint of damp stone from the lake close by."

"It can't be," Tristan murmured as he pulled away from Harry slowly, though he didn't relax his grip in the slightest. He must have known Harry wasn't about to cease his attempts at attacking him.

"Where-," Harry began again but Tristan cut him off.

"That wasn't my scent."

"Wha- Of course it was," Harry exclaimed angrily.

"No, Harry, think about it," Tristan growled, finally losing some of his temper and shaking Harry as if hoping that would shock some sense into him. "When a vampire locks onto a scent, it is the _only_ one that they smell; we automatically block out all other smells and don't notice them."

"Who else would it have been?"

"My twin brother," Tristan responded with a sick smile.

* * *

Draco was concentrating solely on his magic. He could almost feel it responding, building up inside of him-

He received a smack across his cheek that snapped him out of his concentration and into a state of shock.

"Don't even try it, little wizard," the vampire scolded. "You are not the only one capable of magic here and it will not help you."

"You can do magic?" Draco asked stupidly, latching onto the least significant part of the reprimand. "But you're a vampire!"

"And?" his companion asked with a raised eyebrow. "Oh, but I suppose you've been taught about how _pathetic_ and _mindless_ we are, yes? Of course you have. Rather brilliant of my brother, I'll admit."

"You're brother?" Draco asked, hoping to learn something about his captor.

"Yes, you'll meet him soon enough, I expect," the vampire waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, you're bleeding a bit, must have hit you harder than I thought."

Draco thought about licking the corner of his mouth to wipe away the moisture he felt there when he noticed the vampire's face. He was staring intently at the blood that had welled up on the side and was slowly moving toward Draco. Draco's breathing immediately sped up and he felt frozen in place as he suddenly remembered everything that had been taught in his last Defense Against the Dark Arts class. He was sure he was about to die.

The vampire stopped directly in front of him and leaned forward, until he was less than an inch away from Draco's face. He breathed in deeply before letting out an appreciative sigh.

"How lovely you smell," he murmured. "No wonder your mate couldn't resist you in the end."

_Mate?_ Draco thought in confusion. What mate? The vampire must have seen Draco's confusion because he smiled mockingly before saying, "Ah yes, I suppose he hasn't confronted you yet. But now he will. I expect he'll be here soon, in fact," he stared at Draco's mouth again for a moment before muttering to himself, "What's a little taste?"

Before Draco could fully process his words, the vampire was leaning forward and slowly licking the blood from Draco's mouth. Just as the first swipe of his tongue retreated, a crashing noise could be heard from above as the walls and ceiling of the room shook.

The vampire quickly pulled away with an excited look on his face, "Ah, just in time, your mate is here," the vampire pulled something out of his back pocket as he stepped away from Draco. He gave Draco one last smile and said, "Give him my regards, won't you?" and then suddenly he plunged something into Draco's hand that pinned it to the wall and burned with more pain than Draco could ever remember feeling.

A scream was torn from his throat as the vampire disappeared. Draco turned his head and saw that a dagger had been thrust through his hand with a piece of paper attached. The vampire had left a message.

Draco's attention was pulled away from his own pain when he felt a concussive pulse of power vibrate through the room before a door that had previously been in shadow smashed open and let in more light. The outline of a person was standing in the door. A person who was radiating more raw power than anyone Draco had ever met before. He was momentarily in awe of the oppressive amount of power that was rolling off of them and wrapping around Draco's body.

It was a figure that Draco recognized.

"Henry?" he asked in confusion. Draco blinked and suddenly the person was right in front of him.

It was Henry, but not like Draco had ever seen him. His eyes were red, and not just red, but glowing red. He had fangs that were clearly visible and his skin was so flawless and white that Draco thought he looked as though he were made of porcelain. He was clearly a vampire. And Draco had never seen such an expression of pure fury on Henry's face before.

Henry reached out and shattered the iron cuffs that were suspending Draco's arms to the wall. When his gaze landed on the dagger, he let out a growl of rage before he slowly grasped it.

"This will hurt," Henry said, in a surprisingly gentle voice. Draco didn't have a chance to object before Henry pulled the dagger out quickly. Draco cried out in pain and Henry quickly grabbed his hand. There was a moment of warm and soothing numbness before Henry uncovered Draco's hand, revealing smooth, unblemished skin. Draco just stared for a moment, in too much shock to fully comprehend what was going on at the moment.

"How-," he began.

"Not now," Henry cut in, scanning every inch of Draco's body that his eyes could see. "Later. Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"He hit my cheek, but I'll be fine," Draco responded in a daze. Henry let out an angry hiss, running a quick hand over the slight bruise that was beginning to show. That soothing feeling ran over his cheek again before Henry drew away his hand.

"Better?" Henry asked softly. Draco just nodded, still in a daze. Henry glanced at the paper he was holding in his hand before he grasped Draco's arm lightly, with a dark expression on his face, "Come on. Let's get you out of here."

Draco just clung to Henry's arm as he was guided out of the building he had been taken to. He was coming out of his shock, though, and questions were already started to build up in his mind.

* * *

Harry quickly guided Draco outside before he wrapped an arm around the other boy. He felt him jump slightly but Harry apparated with him to his Sire's home before he could pull away. When they reappeared, they were both in Tristan's private study and his Sire was waiting for them.

Draco stiffened and tried to jerk away from Harry as soon as he saw Tristan, but Harry held on tightly and whispered soothingly, "This is not the same one who took you, it is his brother."

Draco relaxed marginally, but not much.

"Are you injured?" Tristan asked, his voice sounding colder than normal.

"No," Henry responded curtly, "though he had harmed Draco. I assume this is meant for you," he added as he thrust the slip of paper at the older looking man.

"'_No one remains untouchable forever, Tristan._'" his Sire murmured with a sad expression on his face. He folded the piece of paper and slipped it into his pocket, his expression completely blank, though Harry could tell that he was more than upset. Like an explosion waiting to happen. He walked toward them and surprised Harry when he spoke to Draco first, "I am terribly sorry that you have been dragged into this so unexpectedly, Draco. My name is Tristan Renard; I hope I will see more of you in the future. For now, I will leave you with my Son, however, to answer the many questions I'm sure you have. Find me when you are done, if you wish," he directed the last at Harry before he disappeared out of the room.

Henry watched the door for a moment with a worried expression on his face before he turned back to Draco. He suddenly felt very nervous.

"So," Draco said after a moment, and Harry could feel the beginnings of anger in his emotions, "you're a vampire? Were you going to tell me?"

"Yes," Harry said, guiding them over to the couch that was in front of the fire in the room. "I just- I wasn't sure how. I was going to talk to you tonight, actually."

"It really isn't that hard to explain," Draco said coldly.

"You don't understand," Harry said, avoiding his mate's eyes while rubbing the bridge of his nose, trying to nervously adjust a pair of glasses that were no longer there. "Telling you I am a vampire is one thing. Telling you that you are my mate, is more life-altering. And telling you who I used to be," Harry trailed off, before letting out a bitter laugh, "Well, that is almost unthinkable."

"So I am your mate?" Draco questioned, as if he needed it confirmed. Harry nodded, finally daring to look at Draco. "What happens if I reject you?" he asked slowly, his expression completely unreadable.

Harry felt his stomach plummet and a sharp pain in his heart before he recovered and looked away with a cold expression, "Nothing," he said in a monotone. "I will survive."

"Why should I accept you?" Draco pressed, his tone inexplicably warmer.

"Because a mate bond with a vampire is the same thing as a soul mate bond," Harry responded quietly, still looking at the fire with his hands clenched into fists in his lap. He felt so out of his element right now. He couldn't just take control and get the outcome wanted. He glanced at Draco out of the corner of his eye, and saw his mate's breathing catch for a moment. He wondered what expression was on his face.

"Why did you not approach me earlier?" Draco asked, now looking a combination of hopeful and angry.

Harry closed his eyes for a moment before responding, "I was afraid to; especially having to tell you about my human life."

"Why would that matter?" Draco asked, narrowing his eyes.

"I have not been a vampire for very long," Harry said slowly. "In fact, I have only been one since this summer," he trailed off and looked at Draco, wondering if Draco would figure it out.

He was looking at Harry suspiciously but he just stared at him before impatiently saying, "And?"

Harry let out a huge rush of air as he leaned back in his seat. He stared at the fire for a long moment before he turned fully to face Draco. He was just going to have to say it. He was filled with excitement and dread; the moment of truth was here. He took one of Draco's hands and looked him directly in the eye as he said, "How do you tell your mate that you were once their enemy; that you used to be Harry Potter, of all people, and not fear being rejected immediately?"

* * *

Draco just stared in silence. He had suspected, but to have it confirmed…

He remembered seeing Henry- no, _Harry_- with a number of other people; including Hermione Granger. He suddenly felt blindingly angry. He pulled his hand away from Harry, too angry to notice the devastated look that crossed his face at Draco's withdrawal.

"Potter?" Draco hissed, incensed. "So you have just been playing me!"

"No!" Harry exclaimed, looking pained. "Why would you say that?"

"Oh come on," Draco sneered, standing up and pacing before the fire. "I've seen you with other people. I saw you with Granger. Just having a laugh about how easy I was to lead around?"

"I- what- no!" Harry spluttered. "That's not it at all!"

"No?" Draco yelled angrily, feeling more hurt than he thought he should. "I'm assuming you could tell _Granger_ who you were- I can't think of any other reason she would be so friendly with a Slytherin- but you couldn't tell me, and I'm _supposedly_ your mate. I can't believe this," Draco growled, refusing to look at the boy before him, any fear he felt about Harry being a vampire washed away with his anger.

"Draco-," Harry said, and Draco whipped his head around to stare at him with the use of his first name. "Will you let me explain? Or will you just reject me immediately as I feared?"

"Fine," Draco crossed his arms and stared at him, refusing to sit down. "Why should I believe you, anyway? If you really were Potter, why would you even want to be with me? And why do you look so different?"

"It's a long story," Harry said with a weak smile. Draco just continued to stare at him with a stony expression and Harry looked at the fire again before looking back with a solemn expression. "You want to know how I came to be this way?" he asked in a dead voice. Draco was a little taken aback by his change of tone and relaxed slightly before nodding his head sharply.

Harry closed his eyes for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts, "This summer, I was staying at my muggle relatives' house, like I must every break," he began, opening his eyes and watching Draco sadly. "They took offense to something about me, not an uncommon event, and things took a turn for the worst. My uncle beat me, quite literally, to death."

Draco gasped without meaning to, suddenly remembering Skeeter's article. So it had been true? But Harry kept talking, as if lost in memories, though his face was unreadable now.

"Tristan found me right before I died," Harry continued. "He changed me at the last moment and saved me from dying. When I woke up, I looked like this and he informed me that when I died, the blood glamours that had been placed on me were broken. Of course, I was not aware that I had any on me in the first place. I was never a Potter, apparently," he shrugged, as if it were no big deal but Draco was sure he had felt blind-sided when the discovery had first been made.

"I debated leaving the Wizarding world behind completely," Harry said, "but then I started discovering things about my past life that I could not ignore. I decided to return and pay back all those who had wronged me; including you," he glanced at Draco with a frown. "But once I was around you, I realized you were my mate. I wasn't going to let that stop me, but because I stayed around you, the thought of hurting you became unthinkable. My mate instincts demanded that I give you a chance and get to know you since I continued to remain in your presence.

"I won't lie to you, Draco; I resisted the mate pull for a while. I felt like my instincts were betraying me in my desire to find revenge against everyone who had made my human life hell. Vampires do not have to claim their mates; there are no repercussions if we decide not to. But if we decide not to, we usually stay far away from our mates. Since I continued to stay in close proximity to you, my instincts eventually wore away my resistance and I was forced to see you, really see you, for the first time ever. And I liked what I saw, much to my surprise.

"But then I held back, because how would I ever get you to accept me? You would have found out that I used to be Harry Potter and reject me immediately, I was sure. So I was torn between spending time with you and avoiding you. I wasn't sure how to approach you. But the person you've been getting to know this school year is the real me, not that Harry Potter personality that you got to know in the past. I am very different from that; and perhaps a bit darker and more violent than I've shown while at school," Harry said with a wry smile.

"So you want to be with me?" Draco clarified. "I don't- how do I know this is true? I never learned any of this about vampires."

"You wouldn't have," Harry said with a dark smile. "We have been very careful about feeding false information to wizards about our nature. It's rather humorous how little they know, actually."

Draco supposed he had to believe that. Harry wasn't pouncing on him and drinking him dry like a mindless creature as he had learned. That was already one strike against the knowledge he had. Not even his kidnapper had lost control around him, and he had looked to be on the brink of insanity.

"You didn't answer my first question; if you want _me_, why do I find you with others, such as Zabini or Granger?" Draco demanded.

"I definitely want you Draco," Harry explained, "but I still require blood to survive, and I could not take it from you, much as I wanted to. You're lucky I had friends who could provide for my vampiric needs. As for seeing me with Granger, I assume you meant when she kissed my neck? She was attempting to divert my more violent vampiric urges so I would not go on a killing spree. I had just received… thoroughly distressing news. It is much easier for me to think past sex than violence, for reasons you will learn eventually. It was not a matter of disloyalty to you, though to wizards it would seem that way. It is just the way vampires are with friends, it never means anything."

"I don't know, Potter-"

"If you're going to revert to my last name, please at least use one that is accurate," Harry gave him a bitter smile.

"Who was your real family?" Draco asked, distracted from making a decision.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Harry murmured angrily, but he answered anyway. "My mother was still Lily Evans, but my father was… Severus Snape, apparently."

"Does he know?" Draco asked after he had taken a moment to let the shock ware off and he could really process Harry's answer. Now that he knew, he could see a strong resemblance between the two. How had he missed that?

"Of course not," Harry growled. "I may have decided to become close to you, but Snape will get no such leniency. His betrayal is much worse, in this case."

"But if he didn't-," Draco started.

"No," Harry said flatly. "This is my decision. I'm not going to torture or kill him, but I will not acknowledge him either. He will know who I am before my plans are finished, and who I am to him, but I have no need of my human father. I died, after all. I have a new father. There is no place in my life for Snape."

"If I accept you," Draco said slowly, after a few moments of silence, "you will have to tolerate him."

"Why?" Harry asked sharply.

"He's my godfather," Draco explained. "Even if you refuse to accept him as part of your family, he is part of mine."

Draco was mildly worried when Harry stared at him intently, clearly angry. He looked away and asked quietly, "You wish me to accept your family, if we are together?"

Draco was suddenly reminded that his family was probably on Harry's list of least desirable people; right at the top. But they were Draco's family. As much as some part of him wanted to accept Harry with abandon, his more rational side demanded that he not leave his family behind.

"Of course," Draco said firmly. "I assume I will have to accept yours, so you should accept mine."

Harry watched him warily for a moment before saying, "Unlike your family, Draco, mine is immortal. And before you ask, or even think it, I absolutely refuse to spend eternity with Lucius Malfoy, even if he is your father; they will be staying mortal. But more than that, families rarely are factored into whether or not a vampire's mate accepts them. Once a vampire mates, it is fairly common that that vampire and their mate will go off on their own. Alone."

"I wouldn't have asked to make my family immortal," Draco scowled. "But they are my family now, and I will protect them. If you will not respect that, I'm not sure why I would want to be with you."

"Of course I respect that," Harry said, looking offended. "Who am I to take someone away from a family that actually cares about them," he added bitterly.

"Was your life really so bad?" Draco asked quietly, suddenly feeling a need to comfort the boy before him.

"Yes," Harry smiled sadly. "Fine, Draco, I will protect your family. Including my own father," he scowled. "But I will inform him of his paternal status my own way and I will require a favor from Lucius."

"Alright," Draco said slowly with narrowed eyes.

"Don't worry," Harry smiled, "I'm actually rather sure he'll enjoy it."

There were a few moments of silence before Harry opened his mouth to speak again, looking apprehensive, "So, may I assume you will not reject me?"

"No," Draco said slowly, "but I need to know more about how being your mate will work. What is expected and such; I'm not prepared to make such a decision right now, either."

"Even though this would essentially be a soul mate bond?" Harry asked quietly.

"I'm not just going to give in to what you want, Harry," Draco smirked, suddenly feeling a bit mischeivious. "You should know that by now."

Harry gave Draco a slightly exasperated smile before beginning to explain, grabbing Draco's hand and pulling him down to sit on the couch next to him.

**A/N:** I'm sorry these have been shorter and more infrequent than normal. My mind has just not been fully with this story recently. Not writer's block, just real life family stuff. Bear with me please!


	14. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any part of the Harry Potter fandom nor do I make any money from writing this story.

**Warnings:** Implied twin-cest, a little violence, a little language. If any of that offends you beyond endurance, don't read it.

**A/N: **I have forgotten almost everything about history that I learned over the years so just assume that the back story I provide in this chapter is plausible even if it is not, for any history buffs out there. I hope to have 2 more chapters up in the next week as an apology for my disappearance. Thank you for sticking with me! I appreciate every follow, favorite, and review. Enjoy!

**Chapter 13**

"We should return to Hogwarts soon," Draco said eventually.

"Do you want to go back to school tonight or would you mind staying here until morning?" Harry asked.

"We need to go back, someone will notice if we aren't there," Draco said with a confused expression.

"No, Blaise and Theo will cover for us if we don't return," Harry assured.

"Alright," Draco agreed. "What is the deal with those two, anyway? Why do they know about you?"

"Give me just a minute," Harry said. He quickly wrote a message to Blaise and Theo that he had found Draco and they would be staying at Tristan's for the night. It was implied that his two friends should cover for them. Once the missive had been sent off, Harry turned back to Draco and absently took his hand to run his fingers over the skin while he said, "I met Blaise here at my Father's manor this summer after I turned. He didn't know who I was at first, of course, but eventually I trusted him enough to tell him. After all, he had spent his entire life keeping the secret of his father's fate; he was one of the vampire's here."

Draco's expression became shocked and Harry gave him a small smile, "Yes, Blaise has always known his father. However, his constant close proximity to vampires has caused him to keep his distance from wizards. Blaise is fully human, but he has been raised as if he were a vampire. He knows how to blend in but it goes against his nature to act human now. I think perhaps you can understand his distain when you criticized him on the train for having no loyalty or belief in anything enough to take a stand. Family loyalty is the most important for the Zabinis, and everything else is immaterial."

"Why would you tell me his secret?" Draco asked curiously.

"If you are to be my mate," Harry said slowly, "you will know all my secrets and those of those closest to me anyway. It would do me no good to keep something like this from you. I'm choosing to trust you, Draco, before you make a decision. Should I not?"

"No, you can," Draco said quickly, with an expression that suggested he was surprised by his own honest response.

"Good," Harry smiled. "As for Theo… he followed me once, after school began. I almost killed him for his efforts."

Draco had merely lifted one eyebrow with that confession but Harry could tell he was very interested in hearing the whole story.

"I was feeling uh- restricted, I suppose, after the first week of school," Harry began. "It is unnatural for a new vampire to actively work against their vampire instincts and pose as a human for long periods of time. While I hardly notice any strain now, at first, it sometimes felt as though my skin were crawling and I would become very restless and moody. I went out to the forest to let out some of my natural aggression and just let myself be a vampire for a while without hiding. Theo followed me while all my vampire instincts were out and I almost killed him before I was able to stop myself from killing my 'prey'. He was very lucky. Then he swore his allegiance to me above all others. I know," Harry said as Draco opened his mouth, "he is a Death Eater and serves Voldemort. But he knows I'm far more powerful and able to protect him. Now he and I are friends, though, I am also his master, in a way."

"You seem very confident of your power," Draco said skeptically.

"I am, Draco," Harry gave him a predatory smile. "I know what I am capable of and I know what Voldemort is capable of. If I still had any desire to kill him, it would be laughably easy; well, for the most part. But the Wizarding world can save itself, for all I care. I will not help them."

"You would just-," Draco began, looking angry.

"Yes," Harry cut him off, his tone and expression both deadly serious. "It isn't my world anymore. I may still have a few connections to it, but it isn't my world. Just like I had a connection to the werewolves when I was a wizard, but you didn't see me getting involved in their affairs. You can't understand, because you know I used to be Harry Potter, so you think I should want to save the world I was a part of. But I am a vampire now, and their world and politics are what I care about and the Wizarding world is like a side civilization that I am occasionally reminded of. Perhaps someday you'll understand."

"Perhaps?" Draco questioned, looking irritated. "What do you mean, perhaps? Will I not be a part of your life and world? Will you keep me separate if we are together?"

"No, of course not," Harry said. "I merely meant that if you become a vampire, you would understand my seemingly abrupt desertion of the Wizarding world. If you stay human, you may or may not, as you become more entangled in the vampiric world while you leave the human one behind."

"Don't I have to become a vampire, if I'm your mate?" Draco asked in confusion.

"No," Harry said slowly, "you can remain human and still be my mate. Our bond would prevent you from aging but otherwise you would remain perfectly human. It isn't really a recommended choice, but some prefer it."

"What are the benefits to such an arrangement?" Draco asked, bewildered. "The human mate would always be vulnerable!"

"Some humans balk at the thought of drinking blood and willingly choosing to become a creature that must do so," Harry began, quickly trying to remember some of the reasons he had witnessed. "It pleases others to know that even though they are weak, a powerful creature is fiercely protective of them; it makes them feel powerful. It really depends on the individuals, but I've seen some relationships where I would classify the human as a possession rather than a partner. I am not saying that the human is treated poorly, far from it, but they are content to be constantly supervised or locked out of harm's way while their vampire controls their life and spoils them."

Harry paused for a moment before saying softly, "And some are afraid to lose themselves."

"How so?" Draco asked, though he thought he already knew the answer when he considered Harry's new personality.

"You change when you are turned," Harry said simply. "Though not as much as one might think. It is more like certain characteristics are enhanced while others are dampened. I have always had a temper, as I'm sure you remember. But I spent a lifetime suppressing it to the best of my abilities, something I learned to do with my muggle relatives. Even at Hogwarts, I tried not to let it out, though you always managed to get a rise out of me no matter how much I told myself to let it go."

Harry gave Draco a small smile and Draco couldn't help returning it, feeling oddly proud that he alone had gotten such strong reactions from Harry, even if they had been negative at the time. He flushed a little as his mind wondered what type of reactions he could get now.

Harry smirked, having a rather good idea of what Draco was thinking when he felt a small burst of arousal from the other boy before it was smothered to almost non-existence.

"Anyway," Harry continued, "becoming a vampire didn't completely change my personality. I don't hide my desire to be violent anymore; I revel in it. My… Slytherin traits have been amplified while the many Gryffindor traits I learned in school have been stifled for the most part. It would be rather hard to be an effective predator if I didn't have any sense of stealth. It's the period right after being turned that humans really fear, I think."

"Why?" Draco asked, fascinated by the information he was learning. He didn't know what Slytherin traits the ex-Gryffindor was claiming to now have amplified, but he would ask about it another time; Harry had been the epitome of Gryffindor as far as he was concerned and he was rather sure that this new thoughtful and cunning side of the other boy was completely a result of his vampiric change, not previously held traits that he had hidden.

"After you first wake up, your humanity is more or less destroyed," Harry paused for a moment before shaking his head. "No, that's not really right. It isn't destroyed. More like it is trapped. When I woke for the first time as a vampire, I didn't feel any emotions for the most part. It was like they were very far away, I could barely feel them. I think the feeling would be comparable to shock in humans. This is the point where you can lose your humanity completely and become the monster that people fear from stories. You aren't a mindless monster, like many fear; but you also don't care about any potential repercussions that might come from acting like one. It is in your nature to kill and fuck, so why not do it all the time? They become nothing more than selfish gluttons. You can come back from it, but it's very hard."

"Apparently you were able to get past that stage," Draco observed.

"Yes, but I wouldn't have if not for my Sire," Harry nodded. "He did things, subtle things, to remind me of who I used to be, such as addressing me as Harry in private instead of my new name, Henry. Also, my decision to return to Hogwarts greatly influenced my ability to retain human characteristics. My emotions feel as if they are mine again and I find myself acting like most other students. It is for the best, I believe."

"I would have to agree," Draco said. He wondered what he would choose if the option to become a vampire was put before him. He definitely wouldn't be satisfied with their relationship if he were seen as anything less than Harry's equal in his partner's eyes. He was less concerned about what others thought, as being underestimated was always an advantage. It would grate on him to be seen as inferior, however, no matter how useful it could be. He wasn't sure he could fathom choosing to become a vampire at the moment, though, either. He almost hoped he wouldn't have to make a decision.

"Well," Harry's voice drew him back to the present and he looked over at his companion, "perhaps we should go speak with my Sire, if you are not too tired. I know I would like more information about why you were taken tonight."

"I am not too tired to learn that," Draco said in a hard voice. He needed to understand more about what he was getting into.

"Alright, then," Harry said, standing up and offering his hand to Draco to pull him up as well. Draco hesitated for a moment before giving his hand. He felt a thrill in his lower stomach at the feel of Harry's skin when they touched. "We will have plenty of opportunities to speak with each other at school. I need to learn more about my Sire's brother before we leave here, however."

Draco could only nod, feeling rather giddy that Harry was still holding his hand. He didn't let his face give away his feelings but he was rather surprised how much influence the other boy's presence had on him. He had to wonder if their mutual mate instincts were the cause or if Draco's own human instincts were wrecking havoc on his composure. He couldn't remember ever being as interested in anyone in the past as he was with Harry now.

Harry led Draco out of the room they were in and down the hall, searching for his Father. He wondered why Tristan had never said anything about having a brother; and a twin no less. He had been under the impression that Tristan had no family until he had found Harry. Did he hide his brother's existence from Harry or had he not known about him?

He rapped sharply on the door that he knew his Father was behind. He waited for a moment until he heard Tristan's voice bidding him to enter. He pushed open the door and gently tugged Draco in behind him. His Father was sitting behind a desk looking through a small box of items with what Harry could only describe as a nostalgic expression. He wasn't sure he had ever seen such a look on Tristan's face before.

Tristan glanced over at them before subtly gesturing for Harry to sit on the small couch near the fireplace. Harry did so and pulled Draco down to sit beside him as his Father came around the desk to stand in front of them next to the fire.

"You have questions, I assume," Tristan stated with a flat voice. Harry tried to remember if this was his normal tone or if recent events had caused him to withdraw from Harry. Perhaps he was spending too much time around humans, who tended to be much more emotional.

"Of course," Harry said in a slightly colder voice. He wasn't sure what was going on but if his Father had kept information from him that had put Draco's safety in jeopardy, he was going to be most displeased, to say the least. "You never told me you had a brother."

It wasn't a question, but it was an invitation for Tristan to explain himself.

"I thought he had died hundreds of years ago," Tristan said bluntly. "It didn't seem important to tell you in the past."

"Why would you think that when he is clearly alive?" Harry asked, torn between feeling sorry for his Sire and consternation that his Sire had been so horribly mistaken. "Did you see him die? I thought your human family all died as humans but he is clearly your twin and not just a brother you gained when you were turned."

"It occurs to me that you have never asked about how I was created or even why I have never spoken of my Sire," Tristan said, not answering Harry's question, and seemingly directing the conversation down a different path. "Why is that?"

Harry opened his mouth for a moment before closing it. He really didn't know. He couldn't really imagine not having his Sire in his life but apparently his mind had decided that Tristan had just always existed as he is now. He was so old, sometimes it was daunting to imagine that there were other vampires that were even older than his Sire. Realistically, he should have been curious about meeting his… Grandfather-Sire? He wasn't really sure what to call him, but the thought had never crossed his mind.

"I guess I just knew you were alone, somehow, and didn't think it was important to learn of people who would not be part of my new family," Harry said eventually.

"Hmm," Tristan replied. "Well then I suppose I should tell you both a story."

Harry glanced over at Draco. His mate was looked slightly nervous, probably from being in the same room as an older vampire he didn't know, but he also looked very intent and interested in the coming conversation. Harry turned back to his Sire and nodded slightly, letting him know he wanted to hear about his past.

"My family lived in the countryside, of what is now France, over a millennium ago," Tristan began. He was leaning against the mantle over the fireplace with his arms crossed and a faraway look on his face. "The Renards were fairly rich and powerful. We were also strongly magical, a pureblood family of witches and wizards. As such, we had enemies and rival families. It was take what you can get and fight to keep it back then.

"I had an older brother and two younger sisters. And of course, my twin, Jasper. We were the best of friends, but not due to our similarities. In fact, while Jasper and I were identical in appearance, our personalities were quite different. It may surprise you, but I was the impulsive and brash brother while Jasper tended to be more calculated and devious; the man could outwait a sloth, he was so patient. I sometimes wondered if we were really two halves of one whole; Jasper being the serious half and myself the reckless fool. We were perfect complements to each other."

Harry was looking at his Sire with raised eyebrows, trying to imagine the man ever being carefree and fun-loving, and failing miserably. Tristan chuckled at Harry's disbelieving expression before continuing.

"Eventually, our family found ourselves at war with another, equally magical, family," Tristan said sadly. "It was inevitable, and we were prepared for it to happen someday. We were evenly matched. You may think it odd to be at war when the only males in my family were myself, Jasper, our father, and our older brother. But our family also included the people who worked for us and lived on our land. The same was true of the rival group. One night they got the best of us, in a stealth attack. We should have been expecting it, but it was so different than anything else we had come to expect from them that we foolishly stopped anticipating such an event.

"I should have died in that attack, but I did not. I had been saved, much like what happened with you Harry, by my Sire at the last moment. As had my brother, Jasper. Unbeknownst to me, my Sire and Jasper had met each other about two weeks before our deaths. It turned out that they were mates. I had noticed that my twin had been acting a little off, but I had figured that it had just been his way of dealing with the ever increasingly draining feud we were involved in.

"They had been drawn to each other immediately and were meeting in secret, learning each other and discussing their future. Jasper had not been comfortable abandoning his family even though he had accepted our Sire as his mate. Apparently, they fought frequently about Jasper's safety but in the end, our Sire had to acknowledge that he could save Jasper if anything untoward happened to him. When Jasper was fatally wounded in the attack, our Sire turned him immediately. But Jasper insisted he turn me as well; he couldn't fathom letting his twin die.

"I adjusted to my new life quickly, leaving my human life behind. I was much closer to losing my humanity than you ever were, Harry, because my Sire was less interested in preserving it. Obviously, Jasper and my Sire were lovers, as they were mates. This would have left me alone, but with our new vampire instincts, our connection as human twins was more or less overlooked. I frequently joined the two of them in bed."

Harry was hardly surprised to hear such a thing; he knew what it was like to have vampire instincts with no human morals or ethics to tame them. Draco's face, however, was a picture of disgust and repulsion. He glanced at his Sire and was relieved to note that he seemed more amused than offended by the reaction.

"It is not something you can understand, Draco," Tristan explained, causing Draco to jump slightly at being addressed directly. "Just understand that human morals, ethics, and behavior are more or less unimportant to a vampire. Though I vaguely knew Jasper and I had been brothers, as a vampire I really only acknowledged that he was attractive and powerful, as was my Sire. We may as well have been strangers and not related at all. Becoming a vampire is much like being completely reborn, if you wish. Jasper and I chose to more or less forget that we had been brothers in our human lives. It may also seem off to you that mates would welcome another into bed with them, but it is not if both mates are agreeable to the idea. We can be possessive and jealous of letting others see the one who belongs to us, but some vampires are a more loose when it comes to their mate bond. The mates always come first for each other, but sometimes they enjoy playing with another."

Harry felt Draco stiffen beside him and Harry himself was fairly sure that they would never be allowing anyone else into bed with them, if Draco accepted him as a mate. They were both far too jealous.

"Anyway," Tristan continued, "we lived together happily for about a century, perhaps a bit more; until I found my own mate. She was a beautiful woman in the town we were living in at the time. She was the perfect lady, completely polite and socially adept; but it was a cover for the dangerous and wild side of her personality. I was completely enthralled, and not only because I felt the mate pull. Jasper became slightly jealous that my attentions were being shared with another. I, of course, stopped sharing a bed with my Sire and brother the moment I found her. Though Jasper was jealous, he was also very happy for me that I had found my own mate, as was my Sire.

"I got to know her and eventually, she accepted me, though not easily. Her name was Belle, and she was incredibly independent. Though she had been prepared to marry whoever her father chose for her, she really made me work to gain her love and trust since she had the option to reject me. We were quite the pair and I would have turned her soon.

"Of course, my Sire had enemies, and they found their chance to strike at him at this time," Tristan paused for a moment and Harry interjected quickly to ask a question.

"What was your Sire's name?" he asked.

"His name was Galen," Tristan answered. "I'm not entirely sure how old he was but I was given the impression that he was at least five hundred years old when he turned Jasper and myself but was probably much older. I never asked, I'm not sure why. Regardless, he had enemies and the fact that my mate was still human provided some of them with a chance to strike at him. I was the weak link. By hurting my mate, it would hurt my brother and Galen. My Sire would be compelled to protect me, as I am compelled to protect you, Harry. Due to our close bond, my pain would affect Galen.

"They caught Belle and tortured her, driving me to the brink of insanity because I could not find her right away but I could feel her pain. We were bonded at this point, but she was still human. We didn't know that a few of Galen's enemies had joined together in a joint effort to destroy him. They didn't care about Jasper or myself either way; we were just collateral damage to reach their end goal. They took Galen by surprise when I finally figured out where Belle was. She was on the brink of death, and I did not arrive in time to save her. As she died, they ambushed Galen, and I did not help. I was too distraught over the death of my mate. Jasper called out to me desperately for help and it took a long time before I was finally able to pull myself out of the despair that had been encompassing me.

"But once again, I was too late, and Galen was killed. Having the bonds I shared with my mate and Sire destroyed at virtually the same time almost thrust me into insanity, but I held myself together, knowing that if I wanted revenge, I needed to keep my wits about me. That was the day that I lost any of the carefree tendencies I had retained since my change.

"But it was too much for Jasper. He had lost his mate and Sire bond at the exact same time and he was much closer to Galen than I was. And while I was obviously close to my mate, it wasn't anywhere near the level that Jasper shared with Galen. I think it fractured his mind and I lost my brother that day. He made it clear that he blamed me for Galen's death. I had been the weak link with the human mate and I had not helped my Sire after my mate was clearly dead. Instead of attacking me, he swore he would find his revenge on me and disappeared.

"I never saw him or heard even a whisper of him again. That was almost nine hundred years ago. I assumed he had died, too unstable to keep himself alive or killed by another. I saw no reason to inform you about him, because I was sure he was dead," Tristan finished, looking at Harry.

Harry sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and grinding his teeth slightly in irritation. He wasn't irritated at his Sire, just at the situation.

"So, Harry is the weak link now, and I'm the weak human mate," Draco stated in a flat voice, causing Harry to growl and wrap an arm around Draco's waist protectively. No one was going to hurt Draco. Ever.

Draco looked at him in surprise before his expression softened and Harry saw a smile playing around his lips. Harry almost jumped for joy when Draco actually leaned into him slightly.

"That is correct, Draco," Tristan nodded in approval. "Harry is my weak link now. Not because Harry is weak; he is far from it. But his numerous ties to humanity give him many vulnerabilities for Jasper to take advantage of. And like the situation with Galen, Harry's distress will negatively impact me, but much more strongly than it did with Galen. Harry is my only Son and I have no mate to draw strength from. And Harry has many weak points, when I only had my one mate for Galen's enemies to take advantage of. He will drive us crazy trying to predict where he will strike next unless we can gather all of Harry's connections together in one place and keep a watch over them."

"Fucking wonderful," Harry snarled, jumping up from the couch and beginning to pace angrily. "How am I supposed to fight against an enemy I don't know? It isn't even my enemy, though just for kidnapping Draco he has become mine as well now."

"I will help you, my Son," Tristan said, stepping over to Harry and stopping his pacing by embracing him for a moment. He pulled back slightly, but kept his hands on Harry's shoulders. "You know I will do everything in my power to keep you safe, and your friends, if that is your wish. I would recommend withdrawing from Hogwarts, but I have a feeling you will not listen."

Harry was torn, but he said, "No, I will not leave. I am not finished with my own plans. I will find a way to keep my human connections safe, with your help. If it gets too risky, I will follow your advice."

"I won't force you," Tristan sighed, "but you will be unnecessarily at risk."

"Perhaps," Harry agreed, "but I will also be an easy target and hopefully draw Jasper out; so that you may finish him."

Tristan looked pained for a moment before he said, "He is my brother, but… he is threatening my Son and his mate. I suppose I have no choice. He's firmly placed himself as my enemy. Nine hundred years and he clearly still holds me responsible. I will never talk him back to my side."

Harry felt a little bad that Tristan was going to have to kill his brother, but not that bad. Harry didn't know Jasper and he had instantly signed his death wish when he harmed Draco. "I would love to kill him myself; in fact my instincts are demanding I do next chance I get. But I can recognize this should be settled by you. I am just… collateral damage, yes?"

Tristan gave him a grim smile before Harry turned back to look at Draco. Draco's expression at observing them interact was odd, but before Harry could really think about it, he felt Tristan stiffen the slightest bit and whipped his head around to look at him just as he felt the wards around the manor shudder.

"What is happening?" Harry asked sharply, immediately thinking of Jasper.

"We have company," Tristan said, his expression turning slightly confused, leading Harry to assume that it wasn't his brother. "It is a lone werewolf."

* * *

Harry was confused as he made his way outside with Tristan and Draco; he had attempted to leave Draco behind, thinking he would be safer, and received an infuriated death glare for his trouble. There was a werewolf on their property and it was not the full moon. He wasn't sure how that was possible and it made him uneasy.

They burst out of the front doors to see four other vampires already surrounding the werewolf, clearly getting ready to attack the intruder. The werewolf clearly knew it was in for a fight and seemed to be waiting for the others to make a move and defend itself. Harry couldn't understand why it was on his Father's property in the first place, or even how it had found them. There were many enchantments and wards to prevent unwelcome guests from finding them. As far as Harry knew, no outsider should have been able to find their manor.

As the wind changed direction and blew toward them, two things happened at the same time. Harry got a good dose of the werewolf's scent and the four vampires made a move to pounce on the other creature.

"STOP!" Harry yelled, dashing forward without thinking. Three of the vampires froze at his command, recognizing who he was, while the fourth ignored him. It was Damien, which caused Harry to snarl in anger before tackling him to the ground. "Restrain the werewolf or knock him out, but otherwise do not hurt him," he commanded to the other three vampires while he turned his attention to the furious vampire beneath him.

"Get off of me," Damien growled, trying to dislodge Harry from his person.

"No," Harry said in a quietly dangerous voice, "it is time you learn your place, Damien. I am Tristan's heir, and though you will not admit it, I am far more powerful that you. You can either concede peacefully or you can be forced into submission. Your choice."

"You will never be superior to me," Damien hissed. Harry shrugged before striking him in the temple as hard as he could. The blow may have been fatal for a human but it only rendered Damien unconscious. He turned his eyes to the other three vampires. Two of them were restraining the werewolf while the third, who he recognized as Zeke, was warily watching the werewolf struggle futilely.

"Zeke," Harry called softly. The other vampire focused on him quickly and Harry said, "Would you please take Damien to our dungeons. I will be having some words with him later when I have time."

Zeke nodded curtly before hoisting Damien over his shoulder and walking away. Harry got to his feet and walked over to the werewolf where Tristan and Draco were now standing. He stopped in front of the snarling beast and wasn't sure what to feel. Werewolves and vampires did not get along.

But he recognized the scent of this one. Underneath the smell of dirty fur and blood, he detected a smell that had once comforted him during one of his darkest hours, as he watched his godfather disappear into death. And he would never forget the pained and furious amber eyes that he was now gazing into with a sense of sadness.

"Remus?"


	15. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** I own no part of the Harry Potter fandom and I do not make any money from writing this story.

**Warnings: **Some language, a little slash action

**A/N: **For people who left nice reviews, thank you for encouraging me to keep writing. To the guest reviewers who basically told me they hated my story, all I really have to say is why the hell did you read all of it and then tell me how awful it is? Honestly, I didn't make you read my story.

I just want to take a moment to let everyone know that this story is kind of an experiment. I have no outline, I'm basically making it up as I go (something I will never be doing again, by the way). I have random ideas I'm trying to connect so this story is obviously not as well written or thorough as it could be. I'm mostly hoping I can take a plot and see it to completion. I'm also learning how to write realistic human interactions and emotions, which I am finding may be a weak point for me. The only way to learn how to write is to practice, and that's kind of what this is. Or maybe I'm making it harder than it needs to be by stressing myself out about updating as often as I can, because I hate waiting and I hate making you guys wait. I have other story ideas and hopefully they will be much better than this one since I have learned from this first experience.

**Chapter 14**

Harry was furiously pacing in his room, wondering what to do about the werewolf that was currently imprisoned in his Father's manor. Draco was content to watch Harry as he moved.

He had been unexpectedly turned on when Harry asserted himself over Damien as the more powerful and dominant individual. As a Slytherin, it seemed Draco had something in common with vampires; he tended to be attracted to power. Not all power, of course- he certainly wasn't attracted to the Dark Lord- but it was something that appealed to him. Harry had a lot of it and was confident in his abilities, which was even more attractive.

But he was also very striking to look at physically. As Harry paced, Draco admired his leg muscles flexing beneath the fabric of the tight pants he was wearing. He even allowed himself to admire his butt whenever he turned around in his pacing. So much power, magically and physically, Draco almost shivered when he thought about everything Harry could do effortlessly to him. He thought he might understand what Harry had been trying to explain to him earlier about some humans feeling powerful because they had the hearts of such powerful creatures in their vampire mates.

This beautiful creature with flashing green eyes and deadly grace was all Draco's if he wanted.

He didn't know Harry personally very well yet, but Draco wasn't a fool. He knew that being mates made them more or less soul mates; which meant that even though he didn't know Harry, he knew that he would be happy with him, happier than he could have been with anyone else. He should just accept Harry but some irrational part of his personality didn't want to be that easy. He acknowledged that he was being ridiculous.

"Harry, come here," Draco finally said softly. Harry froze immediately before slowly walking over toward Draco. He stopped in front of him and Draco reached out to grasp his hand and pull him down onto the couch next to him. Draco felt a little smug when Harry's expression brightened when Draco touched him. "Why are you working yourself into a frenzy?"

"Remus is the last family connection I have from my human life," Harry sighed. "And I'm not sure what to do about him. I never really gave him any thought after I died, but I should have. I'm not sure how he fits in my life anymore. I don't know how loyal he is to Dumbledore. I don't know if he betrayed me. I don't know a lot of things when it comes to Remus, and I should."

"Well, you will have to talk to him then, won't you?" Draco said. "And in the meantime, calm down. You're making me feel stressed."

"Sorry," Harry said, relaxing back against the couch. A knock sounded at the door and Harry looked at it with narrowed eyes before calling for the person to enter. A vampire with bronze hair and blue eyes entered and scanned the room until he found where Harry was sitting.

"Tristan thought you might like to know that the werewolf has returned to his human form," the vampire said neutrally.

Draco felt Harry tense next to him before he responded, "Thank you, Jordan."

The other vampire, Jordan, nodded before leaving the room and closing the door. Harry stared at the door for a moment, chewing on his lip until Draco burst out, "Just go talk to him, you won't sleep until you do."

"You're right," Harry conceded. "I won't. But you can go to bed; I didn't mean to keep you awake."

"I will go with you, Harry," Draco said firmly. He received a smile for his trouble and then they were both heading toward the cell that Remus was contained in.

Harry stopped outside of the room Remus was being kept in. He almost didn't want to hear what the man had to say. He didn't think Remus had ever betrayed him in anyway, but he could be wrong. The man was a werewolf, after all. Weren't they supposed to more perceptive than the average wizard? Or had Remus fought his other half so forcefully that he didn't know how to interpret the signs he should have still been receiving?

And how had Remus transformed tonight? Harry only had three guesses; Remus was far more in touch with his werewolf than anyone had ever known, he was so out of touch and against it that he was unstable, or there were things about werewolves that no one knew much like with vampires. Though he supposed his third guess wasn't necessarily exclusive from his first two.

Harry was annoyed at himself for being so hesitant. But Remus was his last tie to his actual family; except his father, but he wasn't sure he was going to count Severus as family since the man had only ever played a negative role in his life.

He pushed the door open before he could over think the situation and walked into the bare room. There was a chair sitting against one wall that Harry assumed had been added once Remus had become human again; he knew it wouldn't have survived an angry werewolf. Remus was currently sitting in it and his head snapped up to look at them when he heard them enter. His face showed nothing but distrust when he saw Harry but his expression changed to shock and worry when he recognized Draco.

"Mr. Malfoy," Remus said slowly. "I was not aware you were a vampire?" His tone was questioning, doubting the words he was saying.

"That is because I am not one," Draco said after a moment, apparently choosing to reply civilly. Maybe he realized that Remus had been an important person to Harry and may still be depending on the coming conversation. He nodded toward Harry before adding, "However, my mate is."

Harry felt a giddy smile trying to break out on his face. Was Draco accepting him?! Now was not the time to think about that, though. He kept himself in check as Remus turned his attention back to Harry.

"And you are?" Remus asked, looking at Harry in resignation. Harry suddenly remembered that Remus would not recognize him; it wasn't something he had forgotten but it wasn't something he thought about, either. Considering Draco's presence, Remus probably assumed he had fallen into the hands of the Dark.

"I guess you wouldn't recognize me anymore," Harry said while he stared at Remus. "But you do know me, Remus."

Remus' expression just became confused and skeptical. Harry hated this part of reconnecting to his human life; he was never sure how to break the news of being Harry Potter without sounding crazy.

"Before you curse me or write me off, as I know you will, you will need to hear out everything I have to say," Harry sighed. "Try to keep an open mind."

He waited until Remus gave a nod before he said, "I died this summer. You knew me as Harry Potter and I considered you like a second godfather to Sirius and you were best friends with my… parents. Which is why I am bothering to explain myself now."

"Excuse me?" Remus said, and Harry was surprised how dangerous the man could sound when he was offended.

"I didn't think you would believe me immediately," Harry replied. "But I am the boy you knew but there are some things about me that you did not know. I didn't know either, at the time. For example, James wasn't my father, which explains my drastically different appearance. Perhaps you can figure out who my actual father was?"

Harry couldn't help the rather sarcastic and cavalier tone that he was sure permeated every word out of his mouth. It bothered him that his entire human life felt like a lie. He hadn't even known the truth of his origins until after his life was over. It seemed wrong to him and he was bitter about it. He saw the werewolf studying him carefully and could tell that the other man saw something that struck him as familiar; but Harry was sure his mind would not connect what he subconsciously knew.

It would have been the last thing Harry himself would have guessed.

"As unbelievable as it sounds, Snape was my father," Harry revealed, watching Lupin's reaction.

"Lily and Severus weren't even friends when she and James died," Remus argued, clearly in disbelief. Harry really couldn't blame him.

"I assure you, Lily and _Severus_ were friends and then some," Harry sneered slightly. "She left me a message explaining everything. And don't worry, James wasn't being used any more than he was using Lily. They were in a convenient marriage to hide their true relationships. And no, I don't know who James Potter was with, before you ask."

"You do resemble Severus," Remus said slowly, "and you have Lily's eyes. Prove what you are saying. I can't believe James wouldn't have told Sirius or myself about this arrangement."

Harry let a breath out through his teeth so it sounded more like a hiss before he replied, "Perhaps he didn't trust either of you enough to keep your mouth shut around fucking Dumbledore." He took a few moments to calm himself before saying, "The best way to keep a secret is to tell no one, yes? But if you insist, I will show you the letter my mother left me. Severus didn't know about me, if you are wondering about his abominable behavior toward me over the years. I can only assume that he believed Lily cheated on him and I was the result, since I used to look just like James."

Harry stepped over to the door and opened it slightly before Summoning the paper from his rooms that he would need to prove his story, along with his parent's Will as an afterthought. A moment passed before they came into view and he snatched them out of the air before walking back into the room to face Remus. He handed the papers over wordlessly and walked over toward where Draco was leaning against the wall to wait. He absently brushed his fingers across Draco's hip before leaning against the wall next to him close enough that he could feel his body heat and turned his head to watch Remus.

The werewolf's eye's were darting back and forth across the pages Harry had handed to him so fast that he had to wonder if the man was taking in any of the words at all. Finally, Remus' eyes stopped moving and he sat frozen for a moment just staring at the letter before he lifted his eyes to look at Harry.

"Why are you letting everyone believe you're dead?" Remus asked quietly.

"I am dead," Harry said flatly. "Why should I have come back? I have a home and family now. That's more than I can say for when I was alive and fighting for the Light."

"Why did you let me believe you were dead?" Remus asked more loudly, a little anger slipping into his tone this time. Harry was once again taken by surprise to see the man express anger; Remus had always seemed to be calm and collected.

"I wasn't sure you would care," Harry said, knowing his own tone of voice was becoming defensive. He subconsciously leaned into Draco a little bit.

"How could you think I wouldn't care?" Remus asked softly, and the disappointment in his voice was much worse than the anger.

"Last time I checked, you were Dumbledore's man," Harry countered. "I wasn't about to risk letting that old man know I was still alive. Or anyone else, for that matter. And if you were loyal to Dumbledore, I had to assume the worse; that you knew what type of life I had had and didn't care about me."

"But why?" Remus asked in confusion. "What did he do to earn your hate? He's trying to save our world; he's the good guy."

"It isn't my world anymore," Harry said sharply, "nor is it yours, no matter how much you like to pretend it still is. And as you just read from my mother's letter, Dumbledore respected none of their final wishes in regards to my upbringing. Doesn't it make you the slightest bit angry that you were not allowed to raise me, Remus, when Sirius went to Azkaban?"

"Well, yes," Remus conceded with a thoughtful frown, "but-"

"And perhaps you read the article Skeeter wrote recently," Harry interrupted. "I'm not sure how so many people missed the evidence of my poor upbringing, but clearly Dumbledore never bothered to check on me even though he must have known how much the Dursleys hated magic. He should have been worried about how I would be cared for, but I was more or less abandoned with no idea the Wizarding world existed. And he has been shamelessly taking money from my parent's vaults over the years. I see no reason why I should help that man. And like I said earlier, the Wizarding world is not my world anymore."

"So you would just let Voldemort win?" Remus questioned. "You would let your mother's murderer go unpunished?"

"Just because I will not help Dumbledore," Harry began angrily, "do not think that I will not pay back Voldemort for everything he has done to me in my life. The choices aren't Dumbledore or Voldemort and no other. They will both pay for the negative parts they played in my life."

"I can't make you do anything, Harry," Remus sighed, "and truthfully, I don't want to fight with you."

"Good, and no, you can't change my mind on this," Harry said. "We can talk more about it later if you insist but now I have some other questions for you. Such as, what in Merlin's name are you doing here and how did you find this manor when it should have been impossible?"

"Dumbledore recently allied with the vampires," Remus began, "or at least, I thought he had. Now I'm not sure who he is working with."

"Why did these vampires ally themselves with wizards?" Harry asked. "Did they give a reason?"

"I was told that they believe wizards and vampires need to live in harmony with each other for the benefit of both species," Remus explained. "And as for your first question, I am here because these vampires told Dumbledore that a group of vampires who want to control their species were seeking to launch an attack against the Wizarding world and enslave witches and wizards."

"And his reason for sending you _here_?" Harry demanded.

"I was sent because according to this ally, werewolves are able to reach vampires despite their wards and protections and sniff them out, more or less," Remus confessed. "He directed me to this area and said that the rebels were living here. Now, I'm wondering who the rebels really are."

"Indeed," Harry murmured and looked at Draco. Their eyes met and Harry saw the unease in Draco's eyes and knew they were thinking the same thing.

"Do you know who this ally is, Remus?" Harry asked calmly.

"No, only that he claims to be the leader of the vampires," Remus said. "I have never seen him or any of his people."

"It has to be Jasper," Harry said, more to himself than the other occupants of the room.

"Yes, but who are all these other vampires?" Draco asked, speaking for the first time; he knew Harry and Remus had needed a moment to figure out where they stood with each other. "I suppose I didn't ask before, but could he actually be a vampire leader? Do vampires have leaders?"

Harry let out a laugh before he could stop himself. He saw Draco's expression becoming angry and quickly said, "I'm sorry, Draco. That was inappropriate but I clearly forgot to mention a very important detail about my new life and I just couldn't believe my lapse in memory for a moment. Vampires do have leaders, as it so happens, and my Sire is the current leader."

Draco just stared at Harry for a moment, dumbfounded before he said, "And how did this slip your mind? Never mind, that's not important. How do vampires choose their leaders?"

"Well, based on power and, since they are usually tied together, age," Harry said slowly. "And they need to be liked. Even the oldest or most powerful vampire could not stay our leader if everyone hated them and worked together to dispose of them."

"Is everything solved with death here?" Draco asked rhetorically. Harry just gave him a tiny smile before turning back to Remus to include him in the conversation.

"I need to speak with my Sire more regarding the information you have given me," Harry said to the werewolf. "Would you be opposed to staying here in the meantime, Remus? I would like a chance to speak more after I've gotten some sleep."

"I would like that, too," Remus responded quietly. Harry nodded before indicating Remus should stand up. The older man did and Harry quickly transformed the chair he had been sitting in into a bed. "I will be back in the morning to see you. Would you like any food?"

"No," Remus said, sitting back down on the bed. "I am too tired to eat even if I were hungry."

"Alright," Harry said. "I have to keep you locked up for the night. I hope you understand. We can talk more tomorrow, though."

"That's fine, Harry," Remus said wearily. He hesitated a moment before adding, "I'm happy to see that you are still alive."

"Thank you," Harry murmured quietly. "Goodnight, Remus."

"Goodnight, Harry," Remus said. "And Draco."

Harry and Draco stepped out of the room only to see Tristan waiting for them. The older vampire had a troubled look on his face which immediately worried Harry.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

"I wanted to inform you that Damien is gone," Tristan said. "He must have escaped from Zeke, who is thankfully unharmed for the most part."

"Does he hate me that much that he couldn't stand being here?" Harry asked in confusion.

"Considering some of the parts of your conversation I just heard, I may have to assume there is a larger problem going on," Tristan sighed.

"You think he's a traitor for Jasper?" Harry asked. Draco tensed next to him, probably wondering if other vampires here would try to hurt him if they were loyal to Jasper.

"That is my guess," Tristan said. "But I can't know for sure. I just thought you would want to know sooner rather than later. He is completely gone from the property. I will see you in the morning."

He walked off down the hall leaving Harry and Draco to look at each other with their own troubled expressions.

* * *

The next morning Harry met Draco outside of his rooms before leading the way to the dining room. Tristan was already there, shuffling through a pile of papers and pausing every once in a while to scan one before throwing it back on the pile and resuming his search. A steaming mug was sitting next to him and Harry could smell the rich aroma of fresh coffee coming from it.

"Harry?" Draco's soft voice, almost inaudible, drew his attention.

"Hm?" Harry hummed, walking toward the table.

"Do, uh, vampires eat or need to?" Draco asked, looking uncomfortable, as if afraid his question might be offensive.

"No, we don't need to," Harry replied with a smile, hoping Draco would relax and continue asking questions. "And usually we don't, but we tend to indulge in drinks."

Harry and Draco sat down across from Tristan, who continued to look through his papers and barely acknowledged their appearance.

"Father?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Harry?" Tristan asked absently.

"In regards to our werewolf," Harry began, "depending on some of the answers I get from him today, would it be possible for him to stay here?"

That got his Sire's attention and the other vampire looked up at him with both eyebrows raised and said, "Do you think that wise if you want him to stay alive?"

"As if any of the vampires here would go against your wishes, now that Damien is gone," Harry finished with a scowl. He really disliked that vampire.

"I suppose," Tristan agreed. "But you should warn him of the dangers if you make such an offer."

"Of course," Harry said, "and ideally, I would like Remus to accept that he is a werewolf and stop fighting it. Maybe he will actually join the world he is supposed to be a part of in the future."

"Perhaps," Tristan said. He was interrupted from possibly saying more when an owl flew into the room and landed on Harry's shoulder. He pulled the roll of parchment from its leg and the owl left again immediately. He raised an eyebrow at its swift departure before reading the note from Blaise.

_Harry,_

_I'm glad you are safe and that Malfoy is as well. Might Theo and I hope you will cease your pathetic moping now?_

_You are covered for the rest of the weekend. Enjoy your time._

_Blaise_

"Bastard," Harry murmured fondly. He turned to Draco and said, "Our absence will be covered for the rest of the weekend if we like. Otherwise, we can return to Hogwarts after I speak to Remus one last time."

"I would not be averse to staying longer," Draco said slowly. "I'm enjoying this short break from Hogwarts and my own troubles. I would like to read in your library or my room while you speak with Lupin."

"You can come with me," Harry assured him.

"I know," Draco smiled, "and your willingness to include me in everything pleases me. But Lupin just found out that you are still alive; I think he would really like to just speak with you and I think you want that as well."

Harry felt very grateful to his mate at that moment. He was rather surprised Draco was being so understanding but he knew he shouldn't be. Impulsively, he leaned over and gave his mate a kiss on the cheek before pulling away with a smile.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"Of course," Draco said. He had a slight blush covering his cheeks and Harry fought valiantly not to let his smile grow any larger.

"Father, would you be so kind as to show Draco the selection of books we have that he could entertain himself with?" Harry asked Tristan as he stood up to leave.

"Yes, Harry, I need to go to the library anyway," Tristan agreed. Harry shot one last questioning look to Draco to make sure he was comfortable. When he received a nod, he left the room to see Remus, hoping it wouldn't be for the last time.

* * *

"Good morning, Remus," Harry said as he entered the room the man was staying in.

"Hello, Harry," Remus said, pushing the tray of food he had been eating from away so they could speak.

Harry studied the other man for a long moment before asking softly, "How are you, Remus?"

Remus ran a hand through his hair and let out a long sigh before saying, "I'm alive, which is more than I can say for most of the people I ever cared about, like Sirius. And you, apparently," he said as an afterthought. "At least you didn't stay that way."

Harry smiled briefly before saying seriously, "I have to know, Remus, how you transformed into a werewolf last night. May I assume there are things about werewolves that are not widely known or is this a special case?"

"It is a combination of things in my case," Remus said, sighing again tiredly. "While werewolves are i_forced_/i to change on the full moon, we are also capable of turning at will. I did not require any loyalty to other werewolves to keep that secret; I hardly needed another reason for people to shun and fear me."

"Why did you never me that you could turn at will before?" Harry asked, feeling a little betrayed by the knowledge that Remus hadn't trusted him.

"I have never been able to change at will," Remus said, confusing Harry, "but there are a few other things going on with me that triggered the ability last night, I think. First is that I felt threatened being in vampire territory and surrounded by them; it was a self-defense reaction that I have never experienced before."

"But surely you have felt threatened before?" Harry questioned. "Or met vampires in the past?"

"Of course I have felt threatened before," Remus agreed, "but I've never really interacted with vampires or been in a situation where I couldn't get away from them. But the other factor that played into my change last night is that I am tired; mentally, physically, and emotionally. I'm getting old. I have actively worked against the monster inside of me my entire life and never accepted it."

"Just because you are a creature, you are not a monster," Harry growled. "You choose whether you are a monster or not."

"Perhaps," Remus said with a pained smiled, "but either way, I've always denied the creature side of me and kept it separate. Every year I get older and every year it becomes clearer that I can't stay separate from that side of me. It is slowly taking over more and more and I am becoming too run down to fight it anymore. As a result, spontaneous transformations such as the one you saw will probably happen more frequently. I am unstable, or maybe just out of sync. I'm not entirely sure."

"You are a fool, apparently, is what you are," Harry hissed. "You need to accept what you are. Embrace it; who knows, you might actually enjoy your life for once. You were changed so young, I'm not sure why you fought it so much. You should have just accepted that it was a part of you and moved on. You have caused yourself unnecessary pain over the years and in the end, it would seem you may actually be more dangerous now since you are unstable."

"I don't have the first idea as to how to accept that side of myself, Harry," Remus stated. "My whole life has been a fight; I have no idea how to stop."

"We'll deal with that later," Harry said. "Why do you fight for Dumbledore?"

"Surely, you don't think I would fight for Voldemort?" Remus questioned in disbelief.

Harry growled at him a bit and responded, "What did I say before? There are not only two options! And it isn't even your world. This is the first thing I think I need to impress upon you."

"It is the world I grew up in, though, Harry," Remus said calmly.

"Yes, but what are you fighting for with Dumbledore, Remus? To end the fear of Voldemort? That's commendable. Or maybe to abolish prejudice so muggleborns can impose their traditions and beliefs on the wizarding world? So they can continue to bring fear and hatred toward creatures when there was none before their arrival? You know I have nothing against muggleborns, per se, but you are fighting for nothing except your own repression in this war," Harry ranted.

Remus was silent for a while before he said, "I suppose I never really thought about it like that. And if what you have told me about Dumbledore is true, I don't want to be fighting for him."

"Then don't," Harry said flatly. "Stay here Remus. Until you are ready to accept yourself, all of you, you should stay here. Dumbledore will just assume you died when you do not return. I would like you to stay safe."

"Okay, Harry," Remus agreed after a short silence. "I will stay here for now. I would like to learn more about your new life."

"And I would like to learn more about you," Harry countered. "I think we are long past keeping any secrets from each other in this."

Remus smiled at him and began to tell Harry about the life he had lived as a werewolf.

* * *

Harry had spent the majority of his day with Remus before the two of them went to the library in the hopes of finding Draco and Tristan. Harry had been relieved to see Draco unharmed, not that he had feared for his safety if he were with Tristan. His Sire and his mate appeared to be enjoying a companionable silence while they both read. Harry had immediately gone over to Draco to distract him and speak in hushed tones.

Remus had carefully made his way over to Tristan and formally introduced himself. Harry had watched discreetly and been pleased when the two men had started an easy conversation.

Now Harry and Draco were making their way back upstairs after a late dinner, both looking forward to their beds.

"Are you happy that Remus seems to be on your side?" Draco asked.

"Of course," Harry said. "I'm finding myself becoming more and more adverse to the thought of losing people once cared about."

"Was it hard to talk to him?" Draco questioned, hoping he wasn't pushing too much.

"Not as hard as I would have feared," Harry responded as he stopped outside of Draco's room. "As a human, I would have been nervous to just confront him and speak but it wasn't a problem now. I guess that's one change about myself I can definitely be happy about."

"The only one?" Draco teased, pretending to look Harry up and down.

"Well," Harry purred seductively as he gently pushed Draco back into the wall next to his door, "perhaps not the only one."

Draco's breathing accelerated and Harry could hear his heart rate increase as well. Neither of these reactions were due to fear and Harry fought himself for control for a moment. He stared into Draco's eyes for a long moment, wondering if Draco could read the question from his mind. His mate leaned toward him the slightest bit and Harry's extra sensitive hearing picked up the faintest whimper from the back of the blonde's throat. Harry's control snapped and he leaned forward, pressing his lips firmly against Draco's for the first time.

Draco responded immediately and pushed his body fully against Harry as he threaded his fingers into his hair as their kiss deepened. Harry gripped Draco's hips with both hands and pulled him even tighter against his body even as he pushed his mate firmly into the wall behind him, trapping him.

Draco's mouth opened on a gasp with the aggressive body contact and Harry wasted no time in slipping his tongue into his mouth to claim it in a dominating kiss. There was almost nothing submissive about Draco, but he felt the blonde melting into his forceful attentions and Harry let out a noise that was a mix between a purr and a growl.

This human was his and only his. Forever.

Harry broke away from the kiss to trail kisses down Draco's throat and smiled darkly when he heard his mate whine softly with need. His fangs had lengthened considerably but he didn't want to use them yet. He felt lightheaded when he realized there was a hardness pressing into his hip from Draco that matched his own.

He wanted Draco. He wanted him now. He needed him.

Harry forced himself to pull away and pin Draco against the wall, almost shaking with the effort to stop himself from just lifting the blonde's legs around his waist and taking him against the wall. He needed to control himself. Draco hadn't accepted him officially yet. It was hard to remember that though when he was staring into grey eyes that were dark with desire while Draco panted for air.

"We need to stop," Harry said, almost feeling embarrassed by how hoarse and strained his voice sounded. "You haven't accepted me yet and I would like you to do so with a clear head."

He watched as Draco tried to compose himself and let his hand trailed from his mate's shoulders down his arms to his hands, which he clasped in his own. He used his new grip to pull Draco to him gently and placed a soft kiss onto his mate's already kiss-swollen lips. He pulled back slightly so their lips were barely brushing and whispered, "Goodnight, Draco. I look forward to you decision. Please, don't hurt me."

And then he was gone, leaving Draco staring at the spot where he had just been standing.


End file.
